


The Colors in Our Blood

by LostLoveLetters



Category: Vampire Knight
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood Bond, Drama & Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-08
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-05-05 15:51:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 135,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5381048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostLoveLetters/pseuds/LostLoveLetters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a blood bond accidentally forms between Kaname and Zero, the dynamics of their relationship shift in a very sudden and unexpected direction. </p><p>But with war hawks for hunters, power-hungry foes for council members, and a darkness that threatens everyone and everything, compromise is necessary and Kaname and Zero increasingly find strength and trust in each other.</p><p>Perhaps, everything does happen for a reason because the colors that run in my blood run in yours.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. We Carry Ourselves like Atlas

**Author's Note:**

> BEFORE you start, YOU SHOULD KNOW:  
> \- I set this after Ichiru's death. You may assume canonical events up to this if you would like. But I will be rewriting events and the timeline, the entire plotline really, so it might be easier to read this as an AU.  
> \- My impressions of Zero and Kaname are the ones I get from reading fanfics rather than the manga or the anime, so if they seem OC, I'm truly sorry.
> 
> Ok, NOW you may enjoy! ^^

Zero presses his cheek against the windowpane. The sharp sting of the cold glass comforts him. It soothes his feverish skin.

He breathes in softly.

An uncomfortable heat flares out underneath his skin again, burning through in dark red flames.His stomach roils in agitation, knotted with nausea and hunger. His throat is parched, and his mouth tastes like dry cotton.

He ignores it. It’s not food that his body wants.

It never is.

He can feel the bloodthirst twisting all of his nerves, straining them and pulling them every which way like a sadistic puppeteer until he feels restless and uneasy.

Zero scoffs because isn’t that sad? That he cannot even call his own body his own anymore?

He knows if he concentrates, he can hear the rhythmic beating of his heartbeat thundering through the still air, pulsing in his ears, drumming in time with all the other heartbeats in the building.

It is a siren’s song inscribed in blood and sin.

His entire body pulses with hunger and pure need. His muscles tense and it is far too easy to listen to the siren who can only murmur and whisper two words over and over again.

Want. Devour. Want. Devour.

Zero closes his eyes at the thought. It is a predator’s way of thinking. A monster’s. It reminds him just how far away he is from being human.

It hurts to resist, but the pain is familiar and he has gone longer without blood before. Zero breathes in deeply and represses the bloodthirst by pure will.

Zero settles himself against the wall and continues to stare out the window. He sits on the thin ledge at the bottom of the window that he can barely fit his body on. It is not supposed to be a window seat, but beggars cannot be choosers.

It is raining outside. Teardrops dot the glass, and a slate grey paints the sky with its heavy rainclouds. The soft pitter patter somehow swallows the usual noise in the building. He can’t hear the usual random door slamming, the scrape of a desk and a chair, the loud obnoxious laughter echoing through the hallways.

Everything is quiet.

There’s a tangible silence in the room that settles and slumps down over everything like thick velvet. The only thing he hears are his own thoughts fluttering around listlessly like moths beating their paper thin wings. They swarm through his mind and leave behind imprints of the nightmare he just woke up from.

It is the same dream that haunts him for the past week now. Zero swallows and looks down at his hands. They still tremble and he clenches them shut, not wanting to see them anymore.

Unbidden, the snapshots from his nightmare unfurl before his eyes like a macabre movie film.

Crimson.

Crimson dripping from his hands, seeping into the fine lines of his skin, staining them forever and ever.

Crimson pouring on the ground.

Ichiru, his brother, his twin, his family. Looking at him with resentment and hatred.

Cold eyes. Cold smirk. Shizuka staring back at him, cruel and beautiful and melancholy. The one who killed his family and ruined his life. She explains why, but the words tumble down into the pool of blood in his dream.

Crimson on the ground.

Crimson pooling from his brother’s lifeless body.

Crimson on his hands, his shirt, his face, his lips, and his tongue.

Zero swallows.

It’s fucked up.

He tenses and runs a hand shakily through his hair because _god_ , everything’s so fucked up. He does not even have the luxury of pretending that the nightmare will soon dissipate, forgotten and obscure like how all dreams fade.

No. This will haunt him forever. It’s not a nightmare. It’s the warped state of his reality right now.

He hates it. Hates how everything has come to this.

Zero bites his lip harshly and clenches his fist as he aches under a wave of helplessness and desperation. Right now, usually in this state, he would be patrolling outside again, maybe even wander into the town and encounter some Level E’s, desperate for an abstract target to direct the anger and destruction that vibrates in him.

Huh. Doesn’t that say something about him? That to distract himself from the blood and death that drowns him, he charges headfirst into another bloodbath?

Zero takes a shuddering breath. Damn, he no longer even knows what he’s angry at anymore. It was so easy before to blame the entire vampire race for all of the destruction and death in his life. After all, it was a vampire who killed his family. It were mindless level Es who rampaged through towns, leaving death and devastation in their wake.

He should know. He’s a vampire himself. As much it kills him to ever admit or accept it.

But with what happened with Ichiru reminds him that nothing is black and white.

And deep down inside, Zero has always known that.

He knows because how could he not?

The scene replays in his head every day, as vivid as when he saw it the first time that day. He knows that Shizuka would have continued her vendetta against his parents regardless of what would happen.

But he also knows that Ichiru was the one who asked her to, who let her inside their home, who agreed with her plan.

Zero swallows hard again.

He never realized that Ichiru was so unhappy that he thought the only way to escape was to erase his family. Zero knows because of his frailer body, Ichiru often questioned his place in the family and his own existence. But Zero never saw it that way. Ichiru was his brother, no more no less. He loved him.

Why wasn’t that enough? Shouldn’t it have been? Is he selfish for thinking that?

Zero blinks back the burn of his eyelids, and tries to take in another deep breath to settle himself but he can feel himself already breaking down. It hurts. His chest aches.

He never expected it. Maybe Zero should have. Should have realized that his brother was suffering alone.

He feels like he failed his duty as an older brother. But then he remembers the coldness in Ichiru’s eyes, the misplaced hatred and resentment that Ichiru could not let go of, and he thinks maybe they both were doomed and broken from the start.

Having to kill him was the only thing Zero could have done. Zero knew it the moment he looked into Ichiru’s eyes.

He laughs bitterly. Full circle gone around, that is what this is. It chafes him how everything in his life seems like some twisted drama that fate viciously penned for him.

With Ichiru gone, he truly no longer has any family on this earth. Shizuka’s dead; Kuran saw to that. And it’s not like he could ever exterminate the entire Level E population.

When he reaches for the familiar blazing anger and vengeance that carried him through all these years, all Zero feels now is the exhaustion and pain that smothers and suffocates him like ash settling in his lungs. He’s tired of the death that surrounds him, the death that he causes.

He thinks maybe by now, death is yet another stain on his skin, black ink dripping into the crimson that’s already there.

Nothing anchors him, and he’s drowning deep under the colors.

What is he even pursuing now? What does he want? Who is he doing it for?

It’s not himself, that’s for sure. It can’t be, because he can’t stand the person he’s become.

Yuuki’s face flits through him. A pained smile crosses his lips. Yuuki’s probably the only one to truly mourn if he disappeared. Maybe Cross as well.

Yuuki’s too naïve and innocent though, and he can’t help but fear ruining that the longer he stays with her.

He squeezes his eyes shut. God, he already bit her before, more than once.

Self-hatred claws into him every time he reminds himself of that.

How can Zero protect her when he’s the most dangerous threat to her?

Yuuki, for some unfathomable reason, might still trust him, but he no longer trusts himself.

So no, he’s not still here for Yuuki, not when it would be safer for her to forget and abandon him. Zero drags a hand down his face.

He feels worn out. Exhausted.

He’s tired of feeling this pain that threatens to eat him alive. Tired of the bloodthirst that he abhors, resents but always succumbs to.

He hates himself for being so weak.

Zero sighs heavily and pulls out the Bloody Rose and feels the heavy, cold weight pressing into his palm. He traces the familiar metal engravings absentmindedly before he stares out the window again.

He suddenly recalls a legend about a man holding the heavens up on his shoulders. His mind chugs through the foggy history lectures before it conjures up the name.

Atlas. Atlas, doomed to hold the entire world for all eternity.

It’s a legend, a folklore, a fantasy. He knows that, but Zero cannot help but wonder how Atlas could find the strength to ever do that and why he never just gave up and accepted his miserable fate. Because Zero can barely breathe from the pain and regret and grief that bears down heavily on him. He feels completely drained inside.

Everything he gives is swallowed by the pain, the self-resentment until he runs out of things to give and the only monster he sees is the one in the mirror.

It leaves him numb and somehow the numbness slices him deeper to the bone than any blade ever could. It scrapes his insides and leaves him raw and empty and lost. 

And as his fingers tighten on the gun, Zero can’t help but feel that he can’t endure anymore, that he’s not sure he even wants to.

Is this what Atlas felt too?

 

* * *

 

 

 

Kaname narrows his eyes at his desk. Irritation and anger streaks through his veins. His fingers twitch with the overwhelming urge to sweep the papers off the desk. He restrains himself though and instead settles for slapping the manila envelope over them.

His jaw tightens and he leans back in the leather chair.

As always, the council proves insufferable.

Kaname frowns. He knew and expected the council to predictably grow alarmed over Shizuka’s death. A death of any pureblood is always cause for concern.

He, however, does not expect the council to declare an impending investigation. With the excuse that to “ensure your own esteemed safety as well as that of the general vampire populace, the council dutifully will investigate this matter in a thorough and precise manner.”

The ploy fails to deceive him. Kaname knows that it’s the council roundabout way to hint that they do not trust him.

Or to be more accurate, it is Ichijo and his loyal allies that do not trust him. The others, for the most part, accepted the conclusion that Zero was the one who killed Shizuka, especially after understanding that Ichiru also died that night.

Kaname taps his fingers impatiently on the envelope. The investigation is not particularly a pressing matter. He is more than adept in twisting the spider web that is vampire politics to his advantage, after all.

No, what annoys him is that the council is utilizing the investigation as justification for visiting the school in three more days. The council most likely wants to know why Shizuka appeared in the academy in the first place.

The thought makes him feel uneasy and worried. The council’s interference might inadvertently draw attention to Yuuki and expose her true identity.

Kaname glances at the envelope grimly. That is a risk he cannot afford or tolerate.

Yuuki’s safety means everything to him, and Kaname would do everything he could to protect her.

He rubs his temples tiredly.

In hindsight, this is his fault. Perhaps he should not have killed Shizuka so recklessly.

His mind races through the possible methods and scenarios that could have taken place instead, and ultimately concludes that no, it is the right choice. She was going to target Yuki. Eliminating her was the only way to keep Yuuki safe.

Kaname sighs heavily. How many times has he uttered that phrase when thinking about his actions?

Each time, it feels less like a rationale and more like a desperate self-reassurance. If he is doing the right thing, then why does he keep doing that? Why does he keep feeling a nagging sense of despair and self-doubt that hounds him?

Kaname closes his eyes. He loathes to admit it because the implications terrify him.

But deep down inside, Kaname is always aware of the fear that every precaution, every step he takes will only prolong the inevitable and end up endangering Yuki in the long run.

That all the strategies and pieces he places on the chessboard will do nothing to avoid his opponents’ own devious traps and schemes.

He tampers down the desperateness and dread that swells up in dark waves.

He has a plan. He does.

And that should reassure him because it’s important more than ever for him to stay level-headed. There is so much at stake-he has so much to lose- but it only makes him feel constantly apprehensive and anxious.

Kaname thinks that he’s starting to lose sight of the endgame. It’s harder to stay calm and sure when he suspects that his own mistakes and flaws are what’s ensnaring him, backing him against the wall in frustration.

Kaname swallows. He does not want to admit-refuses to-, but he thinks sometimes he’s playing against himself.

That his greatest opponent is and has always been himself.

That his own decisions and actions will cause his own downfall.

It terrifies him.

Because he doesn’t think he knows himself anymore, not enough to chase to away his self-doubt.

Actors can lose themselves in their roles, don’t they? Does that apply to him? Has he abandoned a part of himself on the stage?

To the council, he is undoubtedly a formidable opponent. A pureblood of strong lineage and unspeakable power with as many convoluted plans as they do. Cold and untouchable. It’s a role Kaname needs to survive and fend off the vultures that are all too eager to tear him apart the minute he is weak and vulnerable.

To Takuma and the others, he presents the perfect image of a composed and strong leader. They trust him so blindingly that Kaname feels uneasy with their devotion sometimes. He is far from perfect and pristine. He knows he’s selfish and merciless to get the things he want. There is far too much blood on his hands and too many of his secrets are shrouded in darkness and regret.

To Yuuki… It’s more complicated and he is uncertain where he stands with her anymore.

Before, Kaname thinks she viewed him as the perfect gentleman, kind and gentle. It’s what she would prefer, what she would feel more at ease with. And truthfully, he’s not opposed to it.

It’s what Kaname would like to be for her, and he never has forced the affection and love that Kaname feels for her.

Never.

She’s the only one he truly cherishes in this world, after all.

Now…Yuuki’s more distant with him, careful. He does not think she’s terrified of him or that she no longer cares for him.

Or at least, Kaname desperately hopes not.

But there’s a more tangible barrier between them. And he’s more consciously aware of her reactions more than ever and of how frequently he adjusts himself accordingly. He is deathly afraid to dispel her already shattered idealized view of him.

In hindsight, this is a good thing because it keeps her safer. If Yuuki feels more uneasy about him and vampires in general, it solidifies her identity as a human and forces her to be more cautious at the academy. Kaname knows it is most likely due to Yuuki’s memory loss, but the rejection still hurts.

He cannot help but sense that there’s already something irreparable in their relationship even if she does remember everything in the future. No matter what he does, she feels more and more unattainable to him.

Kaname is well aware of how ironic it is. That he craves the closeness and freedom he felt with Yuuki when they were kids. That he would do anything for her to be that open and comfortable with him again. That he wants her to be herself with him and yet he is equally unable to be himself with her either.

Kaname exhales slowly. He feels oddly detached from all the personas he carries. Perhaps those truly are the various sides to him, or perhaps he lost himself already in the charade. Perhaps it’s both.

His shrewd and calculative nature is so deeply ingrained in him that it defines him. But Kaname thinks faintly that there must have been a time when he did not view the world so jadedly.

A time when life did not seem like an exhausting, endless game of chess with an invisible opponent.

A time when he would have hesitated more, when he was much more conscious of his own morals.

These days Kaname finds himself all too readily crossing the black and white lines, and all too soon, the world seems less defined and more like a dark ambiguous smudge of charcoal.

It unsettles him when Kaname realizes that he never reflects on that. More when Kaname thinks he no longer knows how to stop himself.

Ominously, Shizuka’s last words echo through his mind. Choosing a dark fate for himself. Perhaps and perhaps not. Either way, it is a belated warning.

He cannot turn back now.

“Kaname-sama?” Too immersed in his thoughts, it takes a minute before Kaname registers the call. He blinks his eyes open and glances towards the door. Takuma looks concerned, and he has the door opened halfway as if not to disturb him. Takuma says lightly though, “I knocked, but you did not answer.”

“I apologize. I suppose I was reflecting too much.”

Takuma looks at him searchingly at that answer. “Is there anything wrong?” “No. Nothing you should worry about.”

Takuma’s earnest green eyes survey him warily. Kaname can tell that Takuma does not believe him, but he does not push the issue and merely offers, “Please remember that I’m always here if you need anything.”

Kaname nods and smiles slightly at that. “Did something come up?”

Takuma hesitates before he says carefully, “Yuuki is here. She wants to see you.”

Kaname immediately straightens. He repeats, “Yuuki is here?”

His mind whirs through a list of possible reasons for why on earth she would go to the Moon Dorm at this hour in the rain.

None of them are particularly good.

Takuma adds reassuringly, “She’s safe. She’s not injured or anything. She just…looks worried? I led her to the private study, so no one will bother her either while waiting.”

“Thank you, Takuma.”

As always, Kaname is reminded of how reliable and trustworthy Takuma is and he nods his gratitude. Takuma smiles before Kaname leaves out the door and strides quickly towards the study.

He opens the door and sees Yuuki staring at one of the paintings in curiosity. She has on a blue raincoat that’s still speckled with raindrops. She must have come straight from the rain then. “Yuuki. Why are you here?”

Yuuki immediately startles and spins around. She looks immediately chastised, and he knows his voice probably came out harsher than he intended. Kaname cannot help his disapproval though. It’s a terrible idea for Yuki to come here. Not in light of recent events. And especially not with the council’s visit looming ahead either.

Yuuki blushes. “I’m sorry. I know it’s a bad idea, but I had to ask you something. I’m sorry.”

Kaname sighs and softens his tone. “I’m not angry. I just want to see you safe.” He gestures to the window and keeps his voice light, “It’s raining as well. Walking alone in this weather is unwise, Yuuki.”

Yuuki relaxes a little at his tone and smiles. “It’s ok. Yori walked with me over here, and it’s not evening yet. She’ll come get me in a few minutes.”

That honestly does not reassure him because all it indicates is there are two girls wandering around the Moon Dorm. Kaname bites his tongue though and instead asks, “Where is Zero?”

If Zero accompanied them over here, Kaname would feel slightly better about the whole situation. Actually, knowing the hunter’s nature, the two should not have been able to walk over here in the first place.

He frowns when Yuuki immediately fidgets at his question. “Is there something wrong?”

Yuuki hesitates and bites her lips before she crumbles under his critical stare and blurts out, “Have you talked to Zero lately?”

Lately? This past week, he’s been thoroughly preoccupied with handling the aftermath of Shizuka’s death. Did something happen that Kaname is not aware of?

He replies warily, “No. Did something happen to him?”

A crestfallen expression crosses her face briefly. “I figured. You-you have not been attending school either.”

“Either?”

“Zero has not been going to school either.” Yuki fidgets again. “It’s kind of why I’m here. I think something’s wrong.”

Kaname raises an eyebrow. To be frank, he’s very much still stressed from his earlier introspection, and Yuuki walking all the way over here because of the hunter does nothing to improve his mood. However, Kaname takes in Yuuki’s wide, worried eyes and says carefully, “Yuuki…considering the recent events, it’s understandable if school is not a top priority for him right now.”

Yuuki pauses and takes in his words, eyes creasing in contemplation before she murmurs, “I know. But…But he’s upset.”

Kaname hesitates. He does not want to sound insensitive, but a week seems reasonable to him. It’s not severe enough to be a legitimate cause of concern. Kaname is about to reassure Yuuki, before his mind stills with a realization. If Zero has not been attending class, then has Yuuki been carrying out her duties alone?

Abruptly, Kaname asks, “Yuuki, you haven’t been patrolling alone, have you?" He looks at her sternly.

To his relief, she shakes her head. “No. Zero still comes to patrol with me at night. And Yori is with me during the class exchange.”

He relaxes, but Yuuki still looks as concerned as ever and she continues avidly, “But he just leaves right after it. And during the whole patrol, he doesn’t talk to me at all.” Yuuki pauses and furrows her eyebrows before admitting, “Well, he doesn’t talk a lot when patrolling on a normal day either. But he at least responds when I annoy him too much.”

Yuuki looks up at Kaname, brown eyes pleading and expectant. “Can you please go see him?”

Kaname blinks but he keeps a neutral expression.

Even though Kaname feels incredulous at Yuuki’s suggestion that he could somehow help Zero in this case. So instead Kaname offers, “Perhaps Zero just needs some time alone to himself.”

Yuuki bites her lips. “He locked himself in his room. And only goes out for patrols. I’ve knocked a few times. But Zero refuses to open the door. The headmaster also tried, but Zero won’t see him either.” She hesitates before saying softly, “I don’t think Zero should be alone right now. Both the headmaster and I are really worried.”

Kaname suppresses a sigh. He understands Yuuki’s concern, but Kaname still does not see how his presence could improve the situation in any way. Frankly, it’s a terrible idea. And nothing Yuki has said convinces him otherwise.

Yuuki must sense his reluctance because she ventures, “Kaname-senpai, you’ve been spending more time with him, haven’t you? Maybe he’ll listen to you.”

That…That seems rather optimistic of Yuuki. Overly optimistic.

Things have not improved between Zero and him.

He is also a little surprised.

Kaname thought he kept the meetings with Zero discreet and private. It would not be pleasant if people knew that he was offering his precious blood in the first place much less that he was giving it to an ex-human. Dangerous too.

Kaname wonders if she knows the truth behind those meetings or if at all. He supposes, from Yuki’s perspective, he and Zero seemed like they were tolerating each other now.

That could not be further from the truth. If anything, tensions have escalated between them now that Kaname agreed to give Zero his blood, or according to Zero, forced him to drink from Kaname. Kaname also has his own misgivings about the decision.

On good days, Zero will accept the blood without argument and none to few words are exchanged. On bad days, the entire ordeal leaves them both irritated and belligerent. So all in all, he is not particularly happy with the whole situation and neither is Zero.

Kaname frowns. Yuki’s innocuous suggestion also reminds him that he has not come by to feed Zero in some time now.

Perhaps he really should go see Zero.

Especially now that he realizes that if he concentrates, Kaname can feel an odd twinge in his neck that always appears when Zero is on the verge of hunger and bloodthirst.

Kaname tightens his jaw. This is why he feels unsettled by the blood exchange. There shouldn’t be any attachment on his part, should there?

There is always a heightened awareness of Zero and his emotions that comes after Zero drinks his blood. It fades away soon and he has always assumed that it’s a side effect of the blood taking and the fact that Zero has taken his blood more than once.

Sharing blood is intrinsically an intimate act, and blood itself is powerful and sacred.

If Kaname is honest with himself, he knows he should not share his blood with someone he has no intention of forming a bond with. Kaname knows, but it is something he must do. So he does and the exchange itself is always impersonal and methodical.

That should reassure him. It should.

But Kaname feels that he is playing with something far beyond his control.

“Kaname-senpai?” Yuuki’s hesitant voice clears away his thoughts. She’s staring at him now, concerned. “Is everything alright? You look a little tired.” Yuuki pauses and looks anxious. “Did I come at a bad time?”

“No, everything’s fine. I suppose I got carried away in my thoughts.” He smiles reassuringly at her. “I’ll see what I can do to help Zero.”

Yuuki immediately smiles in relief. Her eyes shine happily with gratitude. “Thank you, Kaname-senpai. I knew you would.”

Kaname gives her another small smile, but as always, her response gives him mixed feelings. He’s happy that she no longer looks worried, but there is an admiration and surety in her words that Kaname thinks he does not deserve, that he is not the magnanimous person she thinks he is.

Her obvious relief also speaks volumes on how much the issue bothers her, how much she cares for Zero. It bothers him a bit because it’s evident that Zero is someone she trusts and treasures.

The knowledge brings him pain, and brings to light the insecurities that he never wants to admit. He knows it’s a good thing that there is someone she can confide in and be close with. He does.

He just wishes she would not make it so clear that that person is not him. It feels cruel sometimes how often Yuuki comes to him because she’s worried about Zero. He knows that Yuuki is not doing it on purpose; it’s just her kindhearted and naïve nature.

But sometimes Kaname thinks that Yuuki has to somewhat sense his feelings towards her; that she cannot truly be so oblivious; that Yuuki has to know, every time she does this, she places him in a position he does not want to be in.

And as always, he regrets the thoughts as soon as they come.

Those are words he could never utter to her.

Not when the person he should be frustrated with is himself and not her.


	2. Dripping Honey and Electric Fire in Our Veins, We Burn Gold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So um, I have updated. Just not on this site (the formatting here and I have problems with each other.) I'm not entirely sure if I want to continue updating here (I was experimenting with having an account), but I felt kind of bad for those of you who were following the story, so I'll post what I have so far.
> 
> Enjoy! ^^

Kaname sighs and stares at the wooden door.

After walking Yuki and her friend back to the library, despite Yuki's insistence that he didn't need to escort them or go that far, Kaname had then turned and walked straight to Zero's room.

Kaname shakes the umbrella, now wet from the rain, in one hand and knocks on the door with the other.

He can sense by the heartbeat that Zero is still in his room.

There is no answer. He's not surprised, already having expected the response. Zero rarely is, if ever, welcoming. Kaname sighs.

He glances at the doorknob and mentally turns the lock. A sharp metal click echoes, and then he opens the door.

He carefully pulls the door shut behind him and props the umbrella against the wall.

Kaname's skin immediately prickles with unease. Something is wrong here.

Wary at the strange premonition, his eyes rove around the room. They stop at Zero sitting by the window on a space too cramped to be comfortable.

Zero has his knees raised halfway as he tucks himself tightly on the ledge. He doesn't have on his usual uniform. Instead, Zero is wearing a rumpled white t-shirt and some dark blue sports shorts.

His ankles are therefore exposed, pale and slender, and Kaname's mind stops abruptly at the odd sight, odder even when the image persists in his mind and sends another tendril of unease and alarm through him.

He thinks it is because the words "vulnerable" and "delicate" come to mind, words he never thought would describe the hunter.

Zero's face is turned to the window though. All Kaname can see is his side profile.

He can also see that Zero is holding the Bloody Rose. However, something in the way Zero presses the gun flat against his chest, knuckles white from the tight grip, makes Kaname pause in wariness.

What's even stranger is that Zero has not said anything since he walked into the room.

He has not raised his head to look at Kaname or even offer his usual sullen remark.

Nothing. Not a single word.

Zero just keeps staring out the window.

Kaname frowns as minutes waltz by, and Zero makes no move to respond. Is Zero choosing to ignore him then?

No. That doesn't seem quite right.

A suffocating somber silence presses down on the room. It intermingles with the rhythmic rainfall, and looms before Kaname in some inexplicable chasm between him and Zero. It does nothing to take away from the rather forlorn and still figure that Zero poses, and instead makes Zero seem that much more removed from everything.

Kaname feels, for some odd reason, like he is intruding on something private here.

He also feels extremely uncomfortable as Zero's quietness increasingly chafes him.

"Zero?"

Kaname almost wants to cringe because his voice echoes obnoxiously loud in the room, and shatters the solemnity in the air.

There's a pause, a slow intake of breath, and then Zero hoarsely whispers and barely glances at him before gazing out the window again, "What do you want, Kuran?"

Kaname stares at him. Zero sounds exhausted and reluctant.

He answers carefully, eyes roaming over Zero's slumped form, "Yuki asked me to come see you. She's worried."

Zero tenses at that before he replies curtly, "I don't want to see anyone."

Kaname pauses. Zero is clearly upset. He decides not to push the issue- it's honestly not his place to- and instead says, "Fine. Let me give you blood and I will leave."

Zero's jaw clenches before he answers in the same curt tone, "You don't need to do that. Just leave."

Kaname pauses, still a little unnerved by the atmosphere, before he says firmly, "I am not leaving until you drink."

Zero stays silent. Kaname takes it as another sign of resistance. He suppresses a sigh before he strides over to Zero.

Only to stop abruptly when Zero points the Bloody Rose at him.

Kaname furrows his eyebrows and frowns. "Must you always be so difficult?"

"Don't come any closer, Kuran," Zero grits out, finally facing him now with lilac eyes glaring in vexation.

Kaname narrows his eyes. "Zero, stop being so stubborn. The sooner you drink, the sooner I leave."

Zero flexes his fingers and the gun cocks. His voice hardens, "I said, get out. Don't make me repeat myself."

"I don't wish to repeat myself either."

Zero's face tightens at his response, but Kaname merely looks at him coolly.

Zero's obstinacy is something he reluctantly admires and detests all at once. Mostly because it always comes up in situations like these when it would makes things so much easier if Zero would just listen to him.

Kaname sighs and takes another step forward before Zero spits out, "I will shoot. Don't move any closer."

Kaname answers, voice sharp with reprimand and impatience, "We have gone over this already. I cannot let you roam around school when you cannot control your bloodthirst. I will not let you endanger Yuki because of your stubbornness."

At the mention of Yuki again, Zero's expression falters briefly before he looks determined again. He says coldly, "That's why you should not keep giving me your blood."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow before he replies dryly, "And how exactly would that make her safe?"

He is about to take another step forward before Zero surprises him by lowering the gun.

Kaname abruptly stops at the unexpected movement.

Zero looks away and his voice sounds emotionless and frigid. "Because I won't be here anymore."

Won't be here anymore? Kaname looks at him bewildered, all previous irritation fading away in favor for surprise. "What does that mean?"

Zero opens his mouth to answer before he shakes his head, obviously thinking better of it and instead states cryptically, "Exactly what I said."

Zero nods towards the door. A weary and hollow expression darkens his eyes as he says tiredly, "So just go. You won't ever have to do this shit ever again."

Kaname stays silent. The disquieting feeling he had ever since walking into Zero's room intensifies. His mind nags at him that Kaname has sorely overlooked something.

He takes in Zero's tensed lines and his anxious grip on the gun, and his mind travels back to how Zero looked like when he first stepped in the room.

Kaname eyes the gun carefully and mentally gauges the distance while he asks, "What do you mean by that, Zero? What are you thinking of doing?"

"I don't have to tell you." Zero looks straight at him then, lilac eyes resigned and grave. "Besides, you can piece the words together anyway."

Kaname can, and he does not like what they imply. "You can't honestly be thinking of…of…"

The words trail off uselessly in the air. Kaname is thoroughly taken aback by how Zero does not move to correct him, by how this is actually a possibility.

Zero only frowns. "Don't pretend like you give a fuck. You hate me, don't you? This works out perfectly for you anyways. It's not like you never thought of getting rid of me."

His tone is sharp and accusatory, daring Kaname to argue otherwise.

Kaname bites his tongue back on a sharp retort and finds himself unable to contradict Zero's words.

He cannot deny that he never thought of it, of getting rid of Zero. He remembers how unbelievably angry he was when Zero bit Yuki, and how it was only Yuki's pleas and tears for him to save Zero that stopped him from doing so.

But at the same time, Kaname does not hate Zero. He is not going to feel any triumph or joy in Zero's death.

Kaname knows who he hates, knows what true hatred feels. So while his feelings towards Zero are…complex, they are nowhere near the level of bitterness and darkness that true hatred is.

In fact, the blank way in which Zero says it, like he already has rationalized and accepted his death, bothers Kaname immensely.

What…what has brought this on?

Kaname stares at Zero and is unnerved when he sees that Zero is completely serious. He echoes his observation, incredulous, "You already made up your mind to do this."

"…Zero, this is not something you can decide just like-"

"Why? Why can't I?" Zero demands. "It's my life. I can do whatever the hell I want. This is none of your business, Kuran."

Kaname can only stare at Zero in disbelief and exasperation.

It's absurd that Zero is even thinking about this much less actually being determined to carry it out. And this is far from the conversation he expected to have or ever be prepared for.

He needs to stop Zero. Stop this incredibly rash decision.

So Kaname says quietly and deliberately, "And Yuki? What about her? How do you think she would feel if you disappeared? Who would help protect her then? You would shatter her if she knew you killed yourself."

It's a callous move.

Kaname knows that. He also knows that if there is anyone who Zero cares for, if there is anyone who can change Zero's mind, it is Yuki.

Predictably, Zero stills before his eyes blaze furiously and he snaps angrily, "Don't bring her up, you manipulative bastard! I'm not doing this to hurt her!"

Zero clenches the hand that's not holding the gun, and his voice is acidic with resentment, "You always bring her up. You did it when I didn't want your blood. And you're doing it now. But what you really want is to use me in another one of your twisted schemes."

Zero continues in a hard voice, "I'm not the one who's selfish here, Kuran. You are."

Kaname narrows his eyes.

The words strike a chord in him because he knows perfectly well that he is being hypocritical right now. He does not appreciate the reminder. He likes it even less how Zero sounds so righteous, how his eyes burn with condemnation.

He counters harshly, "And what of it? If I'm selfish, what does that make you? Do you realize how much Yuki cares for you?"

He grimaces and cannot help the bitterness that bleeds through his tone. "You have no idea, Zero. How many times she comes to me asking for help, not for her own problems, but for you. Always for you. She puts you before herself."

Kaname stops abruptly and tries to calm himself down, but he thinks of Yuki's earnest expression earlier today, the desperateness in her eyes from when Zero couldn't control his bloodthirst before, how even though Zero bit her, all she could think of was how to help and save him, how instead of running away, Yuki ran to Zero.

She loves Zero. She would not be able to handle Zero's death.

He swallows hard. The knowledge pains him and angers him at the same time because Zero has no idea of the effect he has on Yuki.

Kaname says tightly, "She would do anything for you, Zero. Are you going to ignore that?"

Zero freezes. He looks searchingly at Kaname, and Zero's eyes widen in dismay at whatever expression he finds there. Zero staggers backwards, all previous anger shedding off him like cracked armor.

Zero opens his mouth, but then closes it silently. He settles instead for staring at Kaname.

There is a growing expression of despair on his face. Zero's eyes are wide, lilac irises churning vividly with pain and hurt. The gaze pierces through Kaname and makes him inhale sharply.

This…this isn't the reaction that Kaname expected. Or hoped for.

Zero looks so lost, and it is an expression Kaname has never seen on the hunter. One that grates against his nerves because it doesn't look right there.

In fact, nothing about this conversation is right.

All of a sudden, the air around them shifts to something dangerous and fragile, and Kaname immediately tenses.

Zero whispers, "You don't get it. I-I can't do it anymore."

Kaname stills. He has no idea what to do with that admission, nor what to do with the sudden change in tone either. He honestly expected another angry remark and then the two would argue like always until they were fed up with each other and the conversation.

It…It seems rather unproductive when he phrases it like that, but most of their confrontations end that way, so Kaname has no idea how to handle this new playing field.

He doesn't know what to do with Zero looking like this, when this is clearly something mere words and actions cannot resolve.

"Do what?" Kaname repeats, unsettled by the situation.

He regrets the words as soon as they leave his lips. They sound as useless as they are.

Kaname vaguely thinks he lost control of the situation the minute he walked in. Why is he the one having this conversation with Zero?

He is not the right person for it. Not at all.

"This. Any of this," Zero says helplessly.

Zero looks away, and his voice is strangled. "I-I should be dead. I should have died that night. W-with my parents. Then none of this would have happened. I w-wouldn't have to deal with losing myself. I wouldn't have-have ever bit Yuki. I wouldn't have to take blood from you. I wouldn't have to k-kill my brother."

His voice trails off in a mere whisper with the last words.

Kaname is speechless. There is so much pain in Zero's voice. What is he supposed to do?

Zero says quietly, "I'm better off dead than what I am right now."

He looks down at the Bloody Rose, and there is something in his expression that makes Kaname narrow his eyes in alarm.

There is a blur of movement, a hand, a glint of metal before Kaname blinks and reflexively lunges towards Zero.

The two fall to the floor with the force of his lunge. Kaname hears a surprised cry from under him, but his heart races and all Kaname fixates on is the gun in Zero's left hand.

He takes advantage of Zero's surprise to twist the gun away from Zero's fingers and fling it away. He hears more than sees it smack the wall on the right.

Kaname inhales sharply with relief. He does not realize that he is still gripping Zero's wrists until he hears Zero struggling.

"-ou hear me? Let me go! What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Kaname does not let go though. Not with the gun still in the room. Not when Zero is still so upset.

"Let me go! You fucking bastard. Let me go! Let me go." Zero is hysterical now. He thrashes wildly under him, and Kaname finally notes the position they are in.

He leans back so that he is the one sitting on the ground now, and hopes that it might calm Zero down a little. But Kaname still keeps a tight hold on Zero's wrists, and it ends up pulling Zero awkwardly onto his lap.

Needless to say, it does not calm Zero down at all and instead inspires a stream of colorful curses.

Kaname feels utterly helpless. It's a rare sensation and he does not take well to it.

His mind is still processing how the conversation even escalated to this point, and his primal instincts bristles at Zero's strong hostility towards him.

What is he supposed to do here?

He wavers between letting Zero go, but the gun is still in the room and he doesn't trust Zero to think rationally right now.

God. It sounds completely insensitive of him to admit it, but he never expected Zero to be so affected by his brother's death.

No, that's wrong. There is a lifetime of pain and grief emanating from Zero now, more than just from Ichiru's passing and he has to wonder how long Zero has been holding it in.

It also makes Kaname question how he could possibly never notice that. How much pain does it take to break a person?

There is a nauseating uneasiness in him when his mind whispers that it is because he never cared to.

Zero thrashes again, and Kaname blinks. "Let me go!"

Zero looks up at him, eyes wild with panic and anger. "Why are you stopping me? Answer me!"

Kaname wonders where all his usual eloquence has gone because he still can't manage to utter a single word in response. He acted on pure instinct in stopping Zero, but now the reality of the situation finally sets in.

Zero just - he really was going to pull the trigger. How is he supposed to compartmentalize that fact?

What is he supposed to say to Zero right now? Plead for him to stop this insanity? Yell at him for how incredibly unreasonable he is right now? Tie him down and get someone else to force Zero see reason?

Would anything Kaname do even make a difference? Zero never listens to him. Can barely even act civil towards Kaname on a daily basis. That certainly won't change right now.

Kaname thinks any words he can utter right now will be useless, and if anything, he might worsen the situation beyond repair.

….Why is he the one having this conversation?

Meanwhile, Zero stiffens at his silence. He wants desperately to punch Kaname or do something-anything- because where the hell does Kuran get the pretense to intervene in this?

He can't pull himself away, and the effort only drags painfully against his skin as Kaname absolutely refuses to let his wrists go. It only intensifies the helplessness Zero already feels.

He hisses, "Is this some sort of sick game to you?"

At that, Kaname finally manages to find his voice and he stares at Zero, a little horrified and vexed. His voice is sharp and serious, "No. No, of course not."

Zero only narrows his eyes because it answers absolutely fucking nothing and demands, "Then why did you stop me? Don't give me some bullshit about how you care." His eyes darkens to a bright red as the bloodthirst finally seeps through. "I know you don't. Is it because I'm not dying in the way you planned me to? Huh? Is that it?"

Kaname only widens his eyes at Zero because no, it's not at all what he's thinking right now. He's thoroughly shaken by Zero's responses. It unnerves him how Zero is still thinking about dying.

Zero, on the other hand, seethes. He does not understand what Kaname is thinking. His fingers itch to claw off the infuriating blankness on Kaname's face, and something in him just snaps.

He lets out a frustrated scream. "What do you want from me? Answer me, you asshole! What the hell is wrong with you? Just let me go. Let me die. It's the only thing I have left. Let me go!"

All of his thoughts are rushing out now, but Zero does not notice. He's so fed up, so done with everything that the only thing he registers is the dizzying thrum of blood in his ears.

"All you fucking purebloods are all the same! Do you enjoy destroying other people that much, huh? Twisting other people's lives like it's a goddamn hobby. You bastard. Don't fucking intervene like you're some noble fucking asshole when it's your fault! My life is still mine. I'm not one of your stupid pawns for your convenience. I may not have anything anymore, but at the very least, I get to decide my own death. If nothing else, I have that! You have no right to take that away from me!"

Zero breathes heavily with the effort. He's still angry, furious even, but the rush of anger sends his heartbeat pounding, his blood flowing, hot and steady like lava under his skin. He feels like he's burning and the heat swirls through him and floods his system.

His eyes flick to Kaname's neck. He imagines the blood drumming slowly and steadily through the veins there, warm, vibrant, and rich. Zero tears his eyes away, but the image lingers in his head, and fuck, it's getting hard to think.

He swallows hard and finally realizes just how dry his throat is, how parched, how _hungry_ he is. And his willpower does absolutely nothing to stamp down his bloodthirst, not with Kaname so close to him now.

He hates how even now, his bloodthirst still barrels through to the front of his mind, demanding him to acknowledge its existence.

Zero closes his eyes and tries desperately to ignore the blood that calls to him.

Kaname needs to let him go before he does something he will regret. He wants-no, needs- everything to be over and done with already.

Kaname does not see Zero's rising desperation though. Quite honestly, he does not even register his firm hold on Zero's wrists anymore.

No, he's still reeling back from Zero's sudden outburst. He is at a pure loss.

It jars him that Zero honestly thinks his death is the only thing he has left. He thinks of Zero's eyes burning angrily, expressively, thinks of the clenched fists, the taut lines of barely repressed violence and fury. There is so much emotion in Zero, so much fire, defiance, and recklessness in him, even now.

Kaname cannot fathom how Zero could possibly even consider death.

He does not understand how Zero talks of extinguishing all of that so easily.

But how can he express that to Zero? To make him understand when Zero is completely justified in blaming him?

In fact, is he even in a position to?

He had so carefully constructed his chess game and deemed it acceptable-no, inevitable that Zero would be sacrificed in the end. A useful pawn.

The words echo hauntingly, tauntingly in his head now.

It did not unsettle him then to decide that. He had made countless similar decisions before, and committed worse sins even.

He cannot help it. It's the cold truth of his world: eat or be eaten. It's something ingrained deep inside him, placed there by years of pain and experience.

He knows that his cold social decorum and reputation are only thin veneers for the cruel darkness that resides deep inside in him, conceals the razor sharp grins and dangerous claws that speaks of his true nature.

Seeing Zero so resigned and desperate sends a venomous current of horror and self-recrimination coursing through him. It sickens him.

But more importantly, even if he somehow foresaw this, Kaname does not think he would have changed his decisions or played this any differently from the very beginning.

He does not have the luxury to.

Kaname has made so many sacrifices, endured other people sacrificing for him, that he's bound by them. Obligated by death, pain, and the blood spilt to endure and see that everything will finally come to an end.

Kaname swallows hard. So he's left with something that's not quite guilt and not quite regret, but something darker that unfurls its thorns inside him.

He's left with decisions he wishes he never had to make but cannot afford to take back.

Is he his own worst enemy?

Kaname surprises both of them by saying softly, "I'm sorry."

Zero's eyes widen, so shocked that the crimson disappears back into lilac. He stares uncomprehendingly at Kaname like Kaname suddenly has two heads.

Kaname knows an apology does nothing. It feels extremely halfhearted and still pretentious of him, but it is all he has to give.

Zero does not say anything. He is still now, and he can only stare incredulously at Kaname because out of everything, an apology is not what he expected from Kuran.

He glances at Kaname, and is unable to read his expression because it is one he never saw before on Kaname's face.

Kaname shifts uncomfortably at Zero's silence and wide-eyed stare, but he knows that Zero is listening right now and that it is his last chance to try to change Zero's mind. So Kaname continues on, saying whatever comes to mind and desperately hopes that it is enough because this-what Zero is trying to do to himself- is wrong, and even he, with his ambiguous morals, knows that.

"I know an apology does nothing. That I am the last person you want to hear it from. You can blame me, Zero. I won't deny my part in it."

"I do not hate you, you...you should know that. I know we've had our differences. But it's not…I did not set out to hurt you intentionally. That's not why I did all this. It is still my fault, but I didn't think you would-would..."

Kaname hesitates before he confesses quietly, "Perhaps I am heartless. I did what I thought I had to, but there is far too much death and blood on my hands."

He sighs and continues, "So I know I do not have the right to say this, but please don't…please don't pull the trigger on yourself. You do not deserve that. Do not punish yourself for what I have caused."

Zero blinks. Kaname's russet eyes are dark and solemn, and Zero is transfixed by the rare honesty and sincerity he sees in them. He can see pain shadowing Kaname's face.

He sees everything he does not want to see right now.

He does not know what he is supposed to do with the apology. Not when the words are heartfelt and at the same time, so frustrating to hear.

Zero swallows and he looks away, unable to bear Kaname's expression anymore. He can't force himself to snap at Kaname, not when anger is such a heavy, burdensome thing to keep and Zero's so tired of everything.

He whispers, "Stop looking like that. Saying things like that. W-Why? Why would you say something like that now?"

Kaname only stares at him. Thoughts weave in and out of his head and yet his tongue struggles to catch a single one.

At Kaname's silence, Zero turns to him them, lilac eyes impossibly wide and pleading, silently demanding an explanation.

Kaname breathes in sharply at that expression, those eyes. In his surprise, he unconsciously lets his grip on Zero's wrists go lax.

Zero takes advantage of the moment to free his arms. He lowers his head and brings up his hands to cover his face. He says resignedly, "I don't need to be here."

Zero continues, already sensing Kaname's disagreement, "And don't say that Yuki needs me. She doesn't. I may not like you. But…you'll-you'll always be there for her. Her happiness means everything to you. Even I can see that."

Kaname stills. Those are words that he never thought Zero would ever say. He should be satisfied, perhaps even smug in hearing them. After all, how many times has Zero threatened him, declaring loudly that he could not trust Yuki with Kaname?

But no, all Kaname hears is an expectancy, an obligation in those words that makes him feel even more battle-worn. "Zero…no one's perfect."

Zero glances at him, taken aback by the odd statement. He at first thinks it's directed at him, words of comfort. However, there's a pained and hardened expression in Kaname's eyes that makes Zero think that Kaname isn't talking about him.

Kaname continues, "I…I can't be there for Yuki all the time. I do everything I can to keep her safe, but," He looks away this time and says heavily, "I make mistakes, Zero. I like to think that I have her best interests at heart, but sometimes I think you're the one who knows her best."

Kaname pauses and says quietly, "It pains me to admit it, but I trust you to keep her safe."

Zero blinks in surprise at Kaname's words.

Kaname shakes his head abruptly and frowns. That is not what he wanted to say to Zero. Telling Zero to stay for Yuki and protect her sounds like all he wants to do is to use Zero again. That isn't what he wants to say and it isn't what Zero needs to hear either.

Kaname grabs Zero and Zero stills, eyes widening in surprise. Kaname stares and struggles to express his thoughts into words. He says desperately, "That-it isn't-I'm not trying to say that is your obligation to. I don't want you to think that's the only reason you have for living."

Zero swallows hard and looks down at his hands. They're trembling. "And if I can't find any reasons to?"

"Then…then step away from all of this and find your reasons."

Zero snaps his eyes up and stares at Kaname, completely incredulous. Kaname's eyes still burn with an expression that he still cannot place, but they are serious and solemn.

Zero repeats weakly, "Step away? I…Didn't you just say you need me here?"

Kaname shrugs and looks away. "I won't lie. I do. But not if it comes at this price."

"Not if it – it drives you to the point where you would rather kill yourself." Kaname finishes quietly.

Zero blinks. A choice.

Kaname is giving him the chance to forget everything, abandon his past and start over again. It is a choice that by all rights, he should have had in the first place. A choice that quite honestly should liberate him, but instead weighs down heavily on him and Zero has no idea what to do with it.

His hands tremble and Zero swallows hard again. He feels so lightheaded now, tired from the bloodthirst, this conversation, everything.

Kaname's words twist and whir through his mind incessantly. Zero hates how they make him waver.

Why can't Kaname for once be the bastard that Zero always tells him that he is?

It makes things so much harder and messier than it needs to be. This conversation has gone on for far too long.

So Zero shies away from him. He chokes out. "Stop it. Stop! You don't get it!"

Kaname furrows his eyebrows in alarm, but Zero does not see it and instead continues more to himself than Kaname, "I can't do that. I _can't_. There's no way I can just forget and move on like that. Not-Not when the person I blame the most is _me_."

"So what then? You'll choose death instead? How can that be better?" Kaname demands.

"It…it…" Zero widens his eyes and struggles for words before he gives up and whispers, "I don't know. I don't _know_." Zero stops and lifts his head up, and Kaname stops breathing at those lilac eyes brimming with so much emotion.

They shine wetly, and Kaname notices with a start, that Zero is…is on the brink of tears. The situation keeps spiraling out of his hands.

Zero's voice cracks as he says desperately, "So what if I'm being a coward? W-what does it even matter anymore?"

He takes a deep, shaky breath before he scrambles off Kaname. He's not really sure what he wants to do or where he's heading or reaching for, but Zero thinks desperately that he needs to do something before Kaname might actually change his mind.

His eyes rove quickly around the room, spots the gun, and instinctively moves towards that.

Kaname widens his eyes at the sudden movement. It is pure adrenaline that tenses him and propels him from the ground. He lunges towards Zero and pulls him down in a near tackle that sends them tumbling to the ground once again.

Zero grunts with surprise as the room suddenly tilts sideways.

Reflexively, he blindly thrusts out an arm for balance. It catches on a glass cup on the dresser and that tumbles down as well.

His knee clunks down against the floor, sharp pain lancing through the bone. His right shoulder and elbow and left hand throbs painfully. He blinks and groans.

Kaname, on the other hand, frowns as he lands awkwardly on top of Zero. His right leg and left elbow smarts briefly before the pain quickly fades away.

He slowly moves off and sits on the ground right next to Zero, who gingerly sits up. Kaname closes his eyes, and adrenaline courses through his blood and mixes dangerously with his frayed nerves. He bites back a snarl and fights the urge not to shake Zero right then and there for his reckless, foolish move.

Because damn it, none of his words are getting through to Zero, and Zero is terrifyingly set on his decision.

Zero glances at him, and chokes out. "Why do you keep stopping me?"

"Because it's wrong!" Kaname snaps, russet eyes darkening in growing frustration. "What do you want me to say, Zero? That I'm sorry I actually give a damn about this? Well, I do. For some godforsaken reason, I do. Even though it's absolutely clear to me that you no longer do."

God, this situation is getting out of hand.

Nothing he says has any effect. Kaname does not know what else he can do. He thinks bitterly that this perhaps is his karma; that when he finally wants to do the right thing and doesn't want to add more to the death blackening his hands, it ultimately is not his decision to make.

He growls, restless and so very frustrated, and turns. Before he even realizes what he's doing, Kaname is already grabbing Zero by the shirt and yanking him closer, ready to yell at Zero for what he's doing to himself.

However, Zero does not resist and only stares at him, violet eyes wide with exhaustion and resignation. And pain. So much pain. Tears trickle silently down his cheeks, and Zero is shuddering with them but he does not seem to notice that either.

Kaname swallows hard. Zero is crying, _crying_.

There is something profoundly wrong about this sight.

Zero is falling to pieces in front of him. Is this his fault? Did he do this?

His fingers loosen on Zero's shirt. He takes a deep, ragged breath before he murmurs weakly, "Zero. Please. Stop this. Please stop doing this to yourself."

Zero does not answer, takes another shuddering breath, tears still sliding down his cheeks and the image tears at Kaname more than he ever expected it would. Kaname cannot _stand_ it. He pleads, "What do you want me to do? Zero?"

Zero shudders again. He wants to say to let him go. To let him just die in peace. But Kaname's expression is too earnest and pleading, raw in a way that that catches him off guard.

Zero finds himself unable to say aloud those words.

He can only tremble. Zero looks away, unable to bear those eyes anymore.

Everything is so messed up.

Zero sniffles and finally registers the wetness on his cheeks. He swipes at them with shaking hands, and the sight of tears on his fingertips confirms that he really is losing it.

Goddamn it.

The tears keep slipping down his face, and Zero cannot stop them any more than he can stop the rain falling outside.

He swallows down the growing sobs, doesn't want to break down any further than he already is, but the sobs stay lodged in his throat, his chest. They choke him, stretching and straining his lungs, demanding to be let out. His chest aches, and feels incredibly heavy, smothered.

It hurts to breathe.

Hurts so much to breath. No, that's not right. He can't breathe. Can't breathe. He can't breathe. Can't breathe. He really can't breathe. It hurts. It hurts, and he still can't freaking breathe.

Why is he so helpless? Is he suffocating in his own tears? Is that even possible?

Can't breathe. He can't breathe. He can't-

A warm pressure on his back drags him momentarily out of his rising panic. He blinks and Kaname is sitting next to him now, hand rubbing slowly and cautiously down his back. Kaname murmurs softly, "You're hyperventilating."

Zero wants to shove him away, doesn't want his pity, doesn't need it. But there is no judgement in Kaname's eyes, and the touch honestly does start calming him down. It grounds him, and Zero unconsciously leans into its comfort.

He shudders again and focuses instead on trying to steady his breathing and enduring the endless tears that course down over his fingers clasped over his eyes than the unexpected gesture from Kaname.

Zero is thankful, at the very least, for the silence. He would not be able to handle words right now, and thinks that Kaname knows that too; that the way Kaname sits next to him instead of in front of him to give him some semblance of privacy is also deliberate.

The considerateness in that gesture also surprises him.

Kaname sighs in relief as Zero's breathing becomes less shallow and more even. He continues to rub Zero's back silently. It's the only thing he can do right now.

So Kaname continues to stay there, staring absentmindedly at the wall and trying to ignore the hitched breaths that make his heart throb uneasily in return.

* * *

They both sit like this for a while. Zero is calmer now, with the exception of the occasional lingering hiccups that rack his form. Kaname wonders if he should pull away now, but he does not dare to in fear of shattering the delicate peace that has crept in. He prefers this to the ominous silence and heavy tension of earlier.

Zero sighs. He feels extremely exhausted and frustrated. Crying leaves him emotionally drained. His eyelids are heavy with drowsiness, and his head throbs.

Sleep has never looked more appealing than it does right now. He wants to close his eyes and forget any of this happened, but he knows he can't.

Not with Kaname still sitting there patiently.

God, things felt so much easier when Zero thought he would be the only one affected by this.

Zero bites his lips. He does not even think he can go through with it now. It does not sit right with him now. He feels like he's committing sacrilege if he carries it through.

How is he supposed to turn his back on the desperate pleas, the genuine, rare emotions that Zero has never seen or expected from Kaname?

He feels like he would be betraying something if he did.

Zero is not even sure if he _wants_ to go through with it either, if this truly is something he wants and will not regret.

It seems so half-assed that self-doubt and accusation sneaks into him. He swallows. Maybe Kaname is right. He's being so stupid right now, making such a critical decision like this and not even committing to it.

What would have happened if Kaname hadn't walked in?

The possibility of a different outcome truthfully scares him. It makes him question himself because god, what the hell is he doing? What was he _thinking_?

"Zero?" Kaname says worriedly when he feels Zero tense up.

Zero registers how the hand on his back abruptly stills, the steadying pressure and warmth bleeding through the thin cotton before he takes in Kaname's question.

Startled, he turns towards Kaname.

Kaname's eyes immediately roves Zero's face in concern because he honestly does not know what to do if Zero cries again. He can see stress and deep contemplation darkening Zero's eyes, but Kaname doesn't know if that should be cause for concern.

At the very least, there are no tears on Zero's face, only a puffy redness under the eyes and a lingering wetness on ruddy cheeks and nose. But, there is a vulnerability to Zero now that hurts to look at.

Zero stiffens a little as slender fingers come up to brush away the tears that are still on his cheeks. Zero holds his breath at how lightly and gently the fingers touch his skin, almost as if they are scared to break something so fragile.

Kaname does not even seem to realize what he is doing, and Zero can only blink at him, eyes gazing at him wonderingly. There is an anxious and weary expression creasing Kaname's face, and it presses Zero to whisper, "I'm sorry."

Kaname stills for a moment before he says in a strained voice, "Why are you apologizing to me? Y-you should not be the one to take the blame. So why are you?"

Zero bites his lips. He is rattled by the words, by how entirely _human_ Kaname looks right now. There is a sharp, piercing pain and guilt lacing Kaname's words, and Zero does not know what to do with that either.

Guilt and blame are spoils of a war no one wins. And Zero thinks that seeing the pain on Kaname's face hurts just as much as feeling his own pain.

Kaname glances warily at Zero and hesitates before he asks quietly, "Do you really want to do this, Zero?"

He feels Zero tense under his fingertips and Zero immediately averts his eyes away.

There is a clear hesitance in Zero's form now, and Kaname narrows his eyes at it. He grabs Zero's arm and pulls, forcing Zero to look at him. Zero needs to answer this. Kaname needs to hear the answer and most importantly, so does Zero.

Kaname repeats again, voice serious and grave. "Do you want to do this, Zero? Look me in the eyes and tell me this is what you want."

Zero swallows. He can't do that and Kaname knows it. He looks away again, but Kaname shakes his arm again, insistent and determined. "Do you? Is this what you want?"

"No," Zero blurts out, and Kaname stills.

Zero widens his eyes as the honesty of those words surprise even him. With that single word, reality immediately crashes down. That's right. No. He doesn't want to. This-this isn't what he wants.

And Zero repeats, startled because it's one thing to think that he doesn't want to do it and another to say it aloud, "…No. I-I don't." He pauses and sees Kaname staring at him with that undecipherable expression and Zero whispers, "I won't."

Kaname holds his breath at that answer, and he gauges Zero carefully. Zero looks extremely fatigued, but the words have a soft sureness to them, an aching honesty.

But Kaname needs to make sure, because he can't _, can't_ leave this room if Zero still has any self-doubts about this. "Are you sure?"

Kaname gazes at Zero, eyes sharp and intense, the irises gleaming more red than mahogany.

Zero is unable to tear his eyes away from those bottomless depths. "Yes."

The words ring out in the air, and they sound surprisingly solemn in their deliverance. Zero feels like he is making a promise rather than giving an affirmative to Kaname.

Kaname looks at him for a long moment before he nods and relaxes.

Zero still can't understand why this bothers Kaname more than he ever thought it would, but he does not comment on it.

There is an awkward silence in the room as neither knows what to do next nor how to approach the new understanding between them.

So instead, Zero looks down at his hands, uncertain, because there's something distinctly different in the air now and for the first time, he wonders where things stand between Kaname and him.

Zero then pauses. He lifts his right hand in surprise. There is a jagged shard of glass embedded deep in the center of his palm. Blood seeps from around the glass and trickles down his skin. His hand dully throbs with pain.

And all of a sudden, Zero can smell the pungent coppery scent of blood that permeates the room. His stomach lurches, and his throat seems drier than ever. Damn. His bloodthirst is coming back.

Kaname narrows his eyes at the wound, a little alarmed that he failed to sense it and admittedly a little relieved at the abrupt change in subject. "How did your hand get injured?"

Zero thinks vaguely that it speaks volumes on how distracted they were if neither of them noticed the smell of blood. He stares at his hand, fascinated by the bright red - god, he's so hungry - and says absentmindedly, "I knocked over a glass cup, I think. When we fell."

Kaname gives a cursory glance at the floor and notices, for the first time, the broken glass fragments that glitter on the floor. He looks up at Zero. Zero's eyes are now a bright crimson, and Kaname predicts that the bloodthirst is starting to take over him now.

Kaname sighs. He shrugs off his jacket and his blazer. With deft fingers, he also undoes the tie and unbuttons the first few buttons or so of his shirt.

"Are the seals in place?" Kaname hopes they still are. Zero doesn't look like he is in any condition to draw and perform any new ones, and they still need the seals to conceal the scent of blood drifting from the room to any nosy outsiders.

It takes for a moment for Zero to register his question, and another for Zero to tear his eyes away from his hand and focus on Kaname. "Yeah. Behind the poster on the door like always."

Zero furrows his eyebrows. "Why?"

Kaname says dryly, "Did you forget what I initially came here for? Surely, you're not losing that much blood already to be lightheaded already."

"Shut up." Zero says automatically, falling easily back into the familiar pattern of antagonistic banter, albeit more lighthearted now. It takes a moment for him to understand what Kaname is implying and then, he looks at Kaname, bewildered. "Wait? What? Now?"

Kaname regards him blankly. "What do you mean now? Aren't you hungry?"

Zero hesitates before he nods and moves cautiously towards Kaname. He bites his lips. He never really noticed it before, but this feels strangely intimate. Zero reaches out and grips Kaname's collar lightly before he realizes the position they're both in now.

The knowledge has him immediately jerking up and nearly falling backwards if not for Kaname's arm that wraps around his waist to hold him steady.

Zero really wants to kick himself. Great. Awesome. Because the arm sure as hell helps.

Why is he thinking so much about this?

Normally, he would be so overwhelmed by the bloodthirst now that Zero can't focus on anything but the blood, even if he wanted to.

Now, he feels extremely conscious of where he is pressing against Kaname. Maybe it's because he's wearing a t-shirt and some shorts or the aftermath of his emotional outburst, but Zero feels extremely vulnerable and bare.

Zero cringes. What the hell is he even thinking? Seriously, what the heck?

"Zero? What's wrong?" Kaname glances down in confusion at Zero who has strangely stopped midway.

Zero mutters, "This feels weird."

Kaname raises an eyebrow. "…Weird how? This isn't your first time that you-"

"Am I always in your lap?" Zero blurts out before his cheeks burn in embarrassment at his words. Goddamn it.

Kaname blinks, dumbfounded. What?

He looks down at Zero and finally takes in their position.

Zero is…straddling him. With Kaname's unbuttoned shirt pulled partly off his shoulder and then with Zero's pink cheeks and further exposed legs when his shorts unintentionally ride up, it makes for a surprisingly suggestive scene.

His arm around Zero immediately loosens.

In the back of his mind, he vaguely questions exactly how and why does the situation keep shifting and evolving like this.

Kaname stares at Zero, eyes uncharacteristically wide and bewildered. He says unsurely and a little uncomfortably, "I-you-I don't know."

Wonderful. What a brilliant display of eloquence. God, Kaname feels so unlike himself right now.

The two stare at each other. It feels painstakingly obvious that there's suddenly something very awkward about this, and they both avert their eyes away from each other.

Kaname clears his throat. "You're making this more… difficult. Just…take my blood."

Zero nods and leans in before that he pauses again. He asks quietly, "Does it hurt when I do?"

Kaname lifts an eyebrow. "You never cared about that before."

Zero bites his lips because it's true. He never cared to before. "I'm asking now."

Kaname looks down at Zero, perplexed. Zero seems genuinely concerned about this. It is odd how lucid Zero is during his bloodthirst right now. He says carefully, "Not any more than it should."

Zero looks up at him and frowns, clearly dissatisfied with that answer. He stares at Kaname's throat dubiously.

Kaname inwardly frowns. Is Zero seriously considering not to bite him?

Curious and exasperated, he reminds Zero, "You should hurry. You're still bleeding. It's rather distracting."

Zero widens his eyes at that. That's right. Kaname may be offering his blood, but he is still a vampire himself. Zero holds out his injured left hand carefully away, and finally leans in.

He closes his eyes and finally lets the demanding bloodthirst take over him. His eyes flash a bright red, and his gums ache before his fangs elongate.

The pale, smooth expanse of skin before him looks utterly inviting. Zero immediately bites, fangs sinking down into the yielding skin. He feels the twitch of muscles under his lips, and then his earlier question flits through his mind and without thinking, Zero immediately licks and sucks the skin there in apology.

Kaname almost startles at the odd tingle that it brings. It feels almost…pleasant. He takes note of the way Zero is more careful and gentle.

At first, Zero's concern is endearing. Amusing even.

…and then it becomes a problem.

Kaname furrows his eyebrows and tries to stay still, but something feels odd. Strange.

His neck flushes with heat, and the warmth only threatens to radiate out through his skin. The area where Zero is biting him feels incredibly sensitive now. There are odd tingles that spark off, races through his bloodstream, and prickle the skin.

They aren't painful, but Kaname is not comfortable with the way the sensation wraps around his nerves and make his muscles tense in something akin to adrenaline.

So it really does not help that Zero keeps lapping at the excess blood dripping down his neck.

He is extremely conscious of the way Zero's tongue presses and swirls against his skin, pulling against it, of the way Zero keeps mouthing lightly at his neck every time Zero swallows.

And if Kaname was not conscious of their position before when Zero mentioned it, he definitely is now. He feels the hand clutching at the fabric on his shoulder, the warm body pressed against him, and the legs that settle on top of his thighs. Feels how in this position, how comfortably and snug Zero's slightly smaller frame fits against him.

Kaname stills.

…What...What on earth is he thinking right now?

These are all details he never or cared to notice before and would rather much prefer not knowing.

Kaname does not know who he is more frustrated with, himself or Zero for making those unnecessary observations earlier.

More importantly, as Kaname frowns, the scent of blood is starting to awaken his own bloodthirst.

His eyes keep flicking to Zero's other hand, to the wound that continues to bleed that bright, bright red, to the fresh blood that continues to ooze out and seep into the skin there.

His fingers twitch with the urge to grab that hand, to pull Zero even closer and turn his head so he can bite the slender neck.

Kaname frowns and immediately suppresses those thoughts, but it gets increasingly hard to ignore his instincts, his _hunger_ , when temptation literally sits in his lap. He can hear, no, feel Zero's heartbeat thrumming, and that in itself is as distracting as the smell of blood.

Zero, on the other hand, does not notice the difference in his drinking or Kaname's growing dilemma.

Instead, he revels in the exquisite taste of Kaname's blood. He sighs at how the blood slides down smoothly down his throat and coats his tongue. It quenches his thirst and at the same time only further ignites it.

God, the blood feels so warm. A sinful concoction of rich dark chocolate and sweet nectar, thick and heady on his tongue.

He can even taste the exhilarating power that runs subtly through the blood, feels it streaking through his arteries. The taste keeps lingering on his tongue and Zero cannot help but take another greedy swallow.

And then another. And another. And another.

It is intoxicating.

Has Kaname's blood always tasted like this? This devastatingly sweet?

God, he just wants to keep drinking. It takes several swallows before his mind frenziedly whispers that he should stop before he drains Kaname and Zero actually finds the willpower to listen to it and pull back.

And then, all of a sudden, an unexpected bolt of pure pleasure arcs through Zero, makes him inhale sharply, and blazes mercilessly through his nerves like electric fire in his blood. All of his nerves burn and tingle.

This…It…It feels great, lovely, wonderful, _warm_. God. All of those happy words. Pleasant in a way that is almost unbearable.

He feels strangely stated, content and full. The sensation swirls lazily through him, puts him on a high that consumes him alive.

God, he feels so warm. So, so warm.

Zero dazedly pulls back and slumps down on Kaname's shoulder. So warm. It feels so warm, and Zero cannot tell if it's the white hot fire that threatens to spill out from his veins or the warmth that seems to emanate from Kaname himself.

Everything feels, looks so hazy. He can't think. All Zero really wants to do is soak in the feeling of utter bliss, the heat that permeates through him and chases away all of his exhaustion and worries. It leaves him boneless. All of his worries seem so far away, and after today, the warmth feels that much more comforting to his frayed nerves.

Oh man, this is even more addicting than the blood itself.

In this position, Zero can feel Kaname's heartbeat vibrating through his skin, hear his heart pulse and drum over and over again. The sound strangely comforts him, captivates him. Zero breathes in the spicy musk that defines Kaname's own unique scent and thinks dimly that Kaname smells exactly how he tastes.

And then there's a vague feeling of alarm and uneasiness that nudges its way through like he's forgetting something or-or something, but it fades so quickly into the white hot heat and the thought leaves as quickly as it comes.

It can't be that important then.

Besides, everything swirls so nicely in that warm, happy haze. He can't think. Doesn't want to really. Right now, he doesn't give a damn. He can't. He's just so warm right now. So, so warm.

Zero leans against Kaname and closes his eyes, sinking further into the bliss and contentment that drums through him steady and so, so pleasantly.

"Zero," Kaname says in a strained voice. "You need to get up."

But Zero only hears the low, deep timbre of Kaname's voice and not the words themselves. And it sounds strangely nice. Really nice. Like, really, really nice.

"Zero?"

Zero looks up then, dazed and confused, and Kaname takes a sharp breath at how dilated Zero's eyes are. They still shine a bright red, but the dark pupils are blown wide open.

Kaname widens his eyes. Something is wrong here. This has never happened before, and Zero looks so out of it. He frowns at the persisting smell of blood that drifts through the room and almost groans at how his inner beast is growling for him to take it, drink it.

It takes all of his willpower to push away the bloodthirst. Kaname tries again, desperately hoping that Zero can still understand him because god, his self-control is slipping away from him. "Zero, your hand. Your hand. It's still bleeding- it-you need to move. Now."

Zero blinks at him and then slowly brings his hand towards himself. He stares at it blankly though. Red?

Zero flexes his hand curiously and Kaname already sees the glass shard digging even deeper into the flesh, blood trickling out even more.

Zero flinches, reflexively buries his head back into Kaname's shoulder, and then lets out an uncharacteristic whimper.

Kaname immediately stiffens and his eye twitches.

Zero just…bloody whimpered. Kaname has never been so frustrated before. The sound echoes maddeningly in his head and sends a sharp thrill down the back of his neck.

God, what is wrong with him?

And now, Kaname really can't deny it. For some inexplicable reason, he's starting to feel aroused now. That with the bloodthirst makes Kaname feel completely restless.

And dangerous.

Kaname's eyes flick from the bloody hand and then to Zero who is still pressing himself close to Kaname. He swallows hard.

He should push Zero away right now, but Zero is still injured and Zero is not going to tend to the injury anytime soon. It would be completely asinine to let Zero bleed all over the room right after he just gave Zero blood.

Or so Kaname tells himself, but he has a sinking feeling that it is more of his bloodthirst speaking than his rationale.

Kaname exhales. He needs to do something. Anything. While he still can.

Zero should heal already, right? In fact, with his blood that Zero just ingested, Zero's healing capabilities are even more enhanced. It is because the glass shard is still embedded that the skin cannot heal yet, so…

If he pulls out the shard, the wound will heal in a matter of seconds. And then, Kaname's bloodthirst will be temporarily abated, nothing a few blood tablets would not be able to fix.

Out of sight, out of mind. Without the constant smell of fresh blood as well, perhaps Kaname will think more clearly because he absolutely needs to be the rational one here.

All he needs to do is endure the few seconds that the wound requires to heal. Kaname takes a sharp inhale, and his eyes narrow, determined. He is more than capable of that.

Kaname steadies himself and reaches for the composure that he prides himself in.

"I'm going to pull out the glass, alright?" He announces more out of formality than out any genuine expectation of a response from Zero.

Kaname reaches out and holds Zero's wrist firmly with one hand. He holds his breath and carefully eases out the shard with his other hand.

Kaname winces as blood spurts out from the edges of the wound as the foreign object is pulled out.

No. He needs to concentrate. Pull the glass out. Then drop the hand. And back away.

Calm and collected. Kaname needs to be calm and collected.

As he expected, the wound immediately closes in seconds. But Kaname can't tear his eyes away from the bright, vivid red on Zero's hand because even though the skin has already stitched itself back together, the blood is still there.

In fact, the hand is positively drenched with blood now that he pulled out the glass wound.

The sharp tang of copper saturates the air. Kaname tightens his grip in Zero's hand, determined not to succumb to his bloodthirst but at the same time unable to release the limb either.

All that lovely crimson dripping down those slender fingers, still wet and glistening under the light. Practically coaxing him to, no, begging him to have a taste. It's a waste. Such a waste.

It wouldn't be so bad, would it? If he gave in?

No, no. Kaname grimaces. No.

For god's sakes, why on earth did he ever consider this a good idea?

He takes a deep, shaky breath and closes his eyes. It takes every ounce of his resolve to push back against his instincts that hiss and demand him to take what he wants, but he needs to.

So Kaname drops the arm.

However, he does not notice Zero's eyes gazing at him curiously.

Zero thinks, still blissed out, that it really is a waste. Kaname's features tighten and something in Zero instinctively wants to soothe that tension.

He can tell that Kaname's hungry, can almost sense the pain as if it is his own.

Another wave of heat spreads through him, and the warmth makes him feel almost dizzy. It would not be so bad, would it? If he offered some of his blood in return?

Something warm and pleasant runs through Zero again. It makes him ache and crave. Something is missing.

Zero listens to the racing heartbeat and breathes in that odd, unique scent. And wonders what it would be like if they imprinted on him, to have the smell drag against his skin and linger there, to have that heartbeat drumming through his fingertips and through his very skin.

To mark and be marked.

Whatever warnings and objections that his mind raises gets easily lost in the slow rush of warmth and satisfaction through his bloodstream.

He wants. He _wants._

So Zero lifts up that hand and splays out his fingers before Kaname in a clear, tempting invitation.

Kaname stills. His mouth runs dry at the sight. "Are you _offering_?"

His voice is sharp with incredulity, but his eyes are already scarlet, glinting hungrily, predatorily, at the red that still drips down Zero's hand.

Zero gazes at him, eyelids half lowered and crimson eyes burning with an expression as potent as his offer. He brushes a finger wonderingly across Kaname's mouth, and the effect is instantaneous.

Kaname's self-control snaps.

He grabs those reckless fingers and bites lightly at the fingertips. Droplets of blood ooze out of the pricked skin. They fall on his tongue. The taste…is lovely. Wonderful.

There is something enthralling about the taste, and Kaname runs his tongue down the fingers and laps at the blood on the palm to get more of it.

But the more he tastes, the more Kaname is aware of the heat burning through him, of the tendrils of warmth and pleasure shooting through his nerves.

Kaname blinks dazedly. Pheromones. Zero's blood is saturated with them.

At the back of his mind, Kaname knows that this confirms what he already suspects and that he needs to stop. Stop before the two of them do something irreparable and permanent.

But god, Kaname is too far gone. Zero is not even protesting, and the last of his resistance fades as his instincts take over completely along with the surge of pheromones.

This is not enough. He wants more. Needs more.

His eyes flick to that white, vulnerable throat that Zero does not even realize he's baring.

The blood calls to him, beckons him, and when Kaname leans closer, Zero's own scent assaults his senses. Zero smells like vanilla and fresh laundry and sunlight, and even that seems entrancing.

Kaname reaches out and takes a shuddering breath. God, he _wants_ , wants to bite and _take_.

Kaname is about to do just that when Zero flinches at the touch on his tattoo.

Zero frowns. A vague memory of long white hair and bloody cheery blossoms flits through the lovely, warm glow. It's brief and he still cannot grasp its significance, but Zero shies away automatically in discomfort.

Kaname stills at that, and the increasing warmth inside of him suddenly surges, agitated at the wariness, at the fear creeping over Zero's face.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. That does not belong there. He needs to fix it. Console Zero. Chase away whatever it is bothering him.

Kaname instinctively withdraws his hand, and instead runs his thumb lightly over the curve of Zero's cheek.

He feels Zero lean into the touch and continues doing it until Zero's breathing steadies.

Then, he takes his other hand and thumbs the artery on that soft, soft neck.

Zero stiffens a little under his touch, but Kaname automatically begins caressing Zero's cheek again and Zero calms down.

When Kaname sees that Zero's eyes are now once again open and content, a feeling of reassurance and triumph rises in him, and the warmth flares out through him more slowly now, satisfied with his actions.

Now. Now, he can continue.

Kaname leans down and presses his lips lightly against the exposed, bare skin. He sucks gently at the skin, hears a soft murmur from Zero, and does it again to distract Zero from the pain when his fangs finally pierce through.

The warm liquid that rushes in and glides down his throat is heavenly.

There is something so peculiar about the taste.

Kaname can sense the sharp tang of Zero's hunter lineage preventing the darker, richer undertones of vampire from overwhelming it. The blood therefore does not taste bitter but it is not saccharine sweet either.

Instead, the taste is surprisingly light and fragrant, deceptively alluring in a way that it makes him think he could keep drinking and never get his fill.

It reminds of him of roses and violets: floral and delicate in the aftertaste. Zero's blood is far from tainted. There is something undeniably innocent and refreshing about his blood, and together, the contrasting flavors make for an intoxicating elixir.

Kaname takes another long draught before he pulls back.

And then Kaname is speechless with the pure wave of pleasure and satisfaction that crashes over him. Liquid happiness washes over him, bringing upon tide after tide of that wonderful sensation.

There is an overwhelming feeling of completeness and belonging that makes him feel incredibly at ease. The feeling lingers throughout his entire body, wreaks havoc on his overly simulated nerves, and leaves behind flushed skin and numb muscles in its wake. It feels pleasurable to the point of unbearable, and the sensation only continues to swell, threatening to burst out.

He cannot contain it and it drenches through his consciousness.

Kaname can't think, can't breathe.

Rivers of white-gold light flood his head, submerging any coherent thought. Amber honey pools into his bloodstream, slow and thick and so, so warm. His chest feels achingly full.

He drowns in this ocean of warmth and longing and emotion.

* * *

Zero hums. Weightless. Zero feels amazingly weightless.

All he feels is this airy light. A brilliant, golden warmth soaks through his skin, his very being, his very essence. Like sunshine on his skin, in his blood. It comforts him.

Warm. Happy. Safe.

Golden rays stream through his nerves, radiating pleasure and contentment until the warmth fills him to the brim and spills over. It seeps into every pore and everything tingles with the sensation. He feels so completed, so deeply sated and god, that feels incredible too.

The warmth swirls inside of him and embraces him, and it feels good, too good. The warmth explodes and strains against him, every nerve on fire, and Zero moans. It is too much. Too much.

He aches for something he cannot describe. It is too much. He feels too much, the lovely warmth and pleasure too fine of a silk that caresses his burning skin. Zero wants something to ground him, something to share this warmth with so he can still wrap himself in it without smothering himself.

He needs something, wants something else.

Zero reaches out blindingly and presses himself even closer against Kaname, likes how solid that warmth is compared to the intangible warmth inside of him. He says desperately, "Kaname."

God, he wants something, needs something to take off the edge. He _feels_ too much.

Kaname blinks slowly and looks at him wonderingly. There is something about the way his name rolls off Zero's tongue and drops down into the golden syrup of his thoughts that makes Kaname want to pull Zero in closer.

He drags his hand up from Zero's neck and marvels at the warmth underneath his fingertips, at the very distinct feeling of skin and _substance_. It helps drag him away from the endless body of sensations drowning him.

Kaname stops his hand right under Zero's chin and brushes a thumb unthinkingly across soft lips.

Zero does not know what exactly what he wants to do, but Kaname's eyes smolder, dark and vivid.

They remind him of glittering rubies, of flames that burn more dangerously than the ones carving his bloodstream. It is a sharper and bolder shade than the sunset gold that colors his vision right now, so they captivate him and the interest helps manage the overwhelming rush of warmth just a bit more.

He is still too warm though, and his fingertips burn with the urge to give it away.

Neither of them knows who leans in first, but suddenly their mouths are slanted against each other, lips tender and yielding, and tongues pressed together in a hungry kiss that threatens to devour them as much as the warmth does.

Zero closes his eyes and wraps his arms around Kaname's neck, tugs him closer and feels solid arms circling his waist in return. Feels the strong heartbeat beating under his fingertips, the warmth positively burning under his palms, his skin, as he presses himself impossibly closer to Kaname. And even that is not enough, and Zero moans again in frustration.

He rakes his fingers across Kaname's back, frowns at the layers that separate his fingertips from the heat, the heartbeat that he knows is there. He does not like that, and tugs at the already opened collar even more with impatient fingers, tearing apart the seams and carelessly ripping out the buttons.

Kaname growls. The sound vibrates wonderfully under his splayed fingers on Kaname's chest, and Zero only has a second to appreciate how wonderful that feels before Kaname captures his lips in a bruising, hard kiss. He presses back, equally demanding and insistent until he has to gasp for air.

Zero shudders at the feeling of warm hands sliding underneath his tee-shirt, dragging against his skin. Likes the heat spilling from those splayed fingers on his skin, the trail of fire and goosebumps they leave behind that makes him ache in pleasure. The imprints of heat and pressure they leave brand his skin.

He moans again. And Kaname grabs his jaw to pull him in another kiss, fiery and dominant, and oh, _oh_. So warm. He feels so, so warm, and so does Kaname.

Electric fire in his veins, and scalding warmth on his skin.

He burns on the outside and the inside, caught in a supernova of passion and longing and warmness that makes him want to cry with how exquisitely pleasurable this all feels. It wreaks havoc on him, exacerbates the high he is already on until all Zero knows is the warmth.

Kaname presses open-mouthed kisses along the side of Zero's neck, likes the hitched breathing he hears from Zero as he does so. And when Zero moans again, gazes at him with those wide, wide eyes, those rosy cheeks, those bruised lips, Kaname kisses him so he can hear those sweet sounds again.

He loves how responsive Zero is, how Zero always leans into his touch and breaks apart under his fingers. It is breathtaking. Lovely.

The warmth surges in him again, envelops him in a burning inferno of desire and pleasure, and overwhelms him with how undeniably right this feels.

His. His. His. His mind whispers, and a wave of possessiveness runs hard through him, has him tightening his grip on those slender hips, and his beast hums with approval. His. His mate.

More. More. He needs more. Needs to feel that lovely, exposed, ivory skin. Needs to feel that heat, that warmth. Feels dark, primitive hunger taking over.

Impulse has him tearing the flimsy white tee-shirt that obstructs his vision and movement, and he thrums with the need to get even closer, to press even closer against Zero. His fingers twitch with the urge to flip them and change their positions, but he sees that soft, smooth, delicate skin and the carpet feels too rough, and suddenly the warmth makes his head throb.

No, that's not ok. Unacceptable.

He can't hurt his mate. He can't be so careless.

So Kaname moves to stand up and Zero blinks at him but he automatically wraps his legs around Kaname's waist, and he leans forward for another kiss.

Kaname returns it with equal fervor, warmth rushing through him as he enjoys the trust and earnestness in the kiss, the gesture. He tightens his arms around Zero's waist as he walks them both over to the bed.

Kaname noses the soft, vulnerable junction between Zero's neck and shoulder and breathes in deeply the intoxicating smell of Zero's skin. He hugs Zero even more tightly as a strong feeling of protectiveness and affection washes over him.

He never wants to let go. Zero belongs right there in his arms.

Zero hums. He feels safe. He feels safe in these strong, sure arms, and Zero sighs, relishes the feeling. He leans into Kaname.

The familiar, cool blankets rumple underneath his back as Kaname carefully lowers them both on the bed. Zero sighs again. The contrast feels nice against his feverish skin. The warmth swirls inside him, and pleasure arcs through him once again.

Zero shifts restlessly, feels the cotton threads rubbing against his overly sensitive skin and moans at how his skin tingles with the friction. Not enough. Not nearly enough.

He tugs Kaname down and the sudden movement makes Kaname fall over him. Zero bites his lips and squirms under the weight, inadvertently rubbing up against him, bare skin against bare skin, and ah, oh, that feels wonderful.

Both of them groan at the sensation. The warmth spills over between them, soaks through between their skins. There is only want and heat between them. It feels excruciatingly pleasing until neither of them can barely think with the desire accelerating dizzyingly through their bloodstream.

Neither of them can tell where the other starts or ends. Are they even separate entities anymore?

Everything feels like a wonderful, perpetual golden glow that wraps around them, blazes through them, _is_ them.

There is only the longing, the need to fall deeper into that shared closeness, that warmth.

* * *

Hands roam desperately, dragging across quivering muscles, tearing away fabric. Eyelashes flutter, eyes dilate. Plump lips bitten and swollen. Roses blooming on pale, soft cheeks.

Lovely, lovely. Breathtaking.

More. More.

Fingers clutching at blankets. Limbs tangling, fingers interlacing together. Breathe in, breathe out. A sharp inhale. A low, long moan. Wicked fingers stroking, pressing in, and oh, _oh_.

More. More. More.

Butterflies kissing their skin, butterflies fluttering in their stomachs.

More. More.

Curled toes, arched back. Ah. Ah. Tears slipping down flushed cheeks. Ok, it's ok. It's ok.

Warm. So warm. Together as one.

Swallowed moans and pretty, pretty tempting lips. Heartbeats pulsating under fingertips, drumming war songs in their blood. Together, _together_.

Right. Feels right. More. More. More.

Thin, golden gossamer threads for nerves snap, snap. So much pleasure it _hurts_. Muscles tightening, warm, so, so warm, velvet heat, desperate groans. White stardust shooting across the black sky behind shut eyelids.

Mine. Mine. Yours. Yours. Ours. Two halves of one soul.

Gold. The world dazzles gold, and they are everything.


	3. Slumbering Lovebirds and Awakened Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The, ahem, evening after.
> 
> Enjoy! ^^

 

Mmn.

Kaname groans. Morning? Afternoon? Night? What time is it?

Kaname blearily blinks open his eyes, but the room swims in a sea of black and gray shadows. His eyelids feel far too heavy and he drowsily closes them again.

Should he wake up? Does he need to?

Kaname pauses and mentally tries to fish out his schedule, but it sinks back into the slurry of drowsy, fragmented thoughts in his head. It's a lost cause, and he grimaces. He still feels exhausted. Trying to drag himself away from the heavy fog of sleep consumes more energy than he can spare. Already, sleep coaxes him to stop thinking and delve back into its hazy oblivion instead.

Kaname sighs and sinks back into the bed, relaxing once more into the covers. The sense of comfort and warmth is too precious and tempting to let go of.

It will be fine. Another half hour at most, and then he will get up, Kaname thinks hazily. That should be fine, right?

He breathes out slowly. Pressing his cheek to the pillow, Kaname blindly tugs the covers closer to him and then shifts closer to the left.

And nearly falls off.

_**What?** _

His eyes snap open in surprise as he immediately catches himself, hands reflexively clutching the covers. What? Why is he so close to the edge?

He does not remember sleeping so close to one side of the bed before. And he does not remember his bed being quite this small either.

His eyes dart around in growing concern. This…this is not his room. And this...this is not his bed.

Kaname's eyes grow increasingly large as he turns to his right and sees a tangled mess of silver hair peeking from under the covers on the pillow next to him.

Silver hair? . . . Zero?

His mind sluggishly points out that yes, it is Zero. And so by default, this is Zero's bed. This is Zero's room.

Kaname stills. What? _What?_

Adrenaline instantly spikes through his blood. It obliterates any last remnants of sleepiness in him, and flings him straight in the throes of distress.

What? What? He's in Zero's room?

Kaname swallows and finally realizes that his skin feels...barer than normal. Is he…?

A glance below tells him that yes, the bed covers are the only piece of fabric on him. He has a sinking feeling that Zero is most likely in a similar state.

….So that means…oh, no. Oh, no. What?

Kaname runs a hand agitatedly through his hair. Think. Think. What happened yesterday?

He furrows his eyebrows as he frantically racks his mind. One by one, the memories trudge slowly forwards.

He can remember the conversation clearly…then Zero drinking from him, the bloody hand, but…but what happened after that is rather alarmingly ambiguous.

All that comes to mind are brief flashes of pale skin and smothered moans, the oddest sensation of warmth and - and the implications are more than enough. Kaname does not need to know the precise details to come to the obvious conclusion.

They slept together.

 _They slept together_.

The words ricochet through his mind repeatedly. All Kaname can do is stare blankly at the covers with his heart thundering in his ears and dread plummeting in his stomach.

Oh, dear god. What?

He drags a hand across his face. How could he be so stupid? So reckless?

He should have left the room and removed himself as soon as he saw Zero looking so dazed after drinking his blood. But no, instead, he stayed there and completely succumbed to his bloodthirst and instincts. He made himself-no, the both of them- vulnerable to the pheromones. Pheromones that he still can't understand for the life of him why they appeared in the first place.

How is this possible?

This is entirely his fault. Of the two of them, he was the only one who was coherent enough to stop this before the situation reached the point of no return.

Kaname turns and glances over his shoulder at Zero. Zero is still sleeping, his expression peaceful and oblivious.

What…what is he supposed to do right now?

Kaname suppresses a groan. How on earth did things evolve to this point?

Clothes. He needs clothes right now, and perhaps a new psyche because clearly, he no longer has his sanity. Not now. And apparently, not yesterday either.

Kaname warily sits up, careful not to rustle the sheets too much and wake up Zero. He tenses and slides his legs over the side, fully intending to stand up and search for his clothes when a strange sensation suddenly flares up in his left side of the neck.

It feels incredibly odd…like a pinprick of warmth with an invisible tethered rope that pulls at him. Kaname frowns at that abstract description, but he does not know how else to describe it. It does not feel comfortable, and Kaname suddenly feels reluctant to leave the bed. To leave his mate.

Kaname automatically stills. His mind completely sputters, gears grinding to a halt as he finally registers that random thought. His what? What-what did he just think? His _mate_?

No. No. That can't be right. It can't be. How can it?

What?

Kaname widens his eyes and brushes a finger lightly over the tender skin there. He tenses at the abrupt tingles that spark through underneath his skin. Isn't this where Zero bit him?

Oh, no. Oh, no. No. No, it can't be. It can't be.

Kaname closes his eyes and concentrates on the odd feeling, a frown on his lips and heartbeat quickening with dismay.

Bonded. He is bonded to Zero. To the last person he never thought he would be bonded to.

He presses a palm to his forehead and slumps down.

Where did all of his cautiousness go? Did he just risk everything he's been working towards all these years in one mere night?

Calm down. He should calm down. He needs to approach this rationally and logically. He needs to think of a solution.

Kaname lets out a short, hard exhale. And then rubs his temples in agitation. This time, he cannot stop the irritated groan that slips out.

What solution? What has he done? What have they done?

God, he is so foolish.

Didn't he already suspect that there was something concerning about the odd brief spurts of emotion and awareness that came to him every time Zero drank his blood?

He knows, _knows_ that sharing one's blood is not something to take lightly. He knows of the emotions and reactions it triggers, which is why it is usually reserved for intimate partners or close ones.

He thought that it would not apply to him and Zero, that the risks were acceptable. After all, he and Zero don't share any sort of relationship that could be considered remotely friendly much less intimate.

…Or at least they didn't before this.

Kaname closes his eyes and grimaces.

Wasn't it just supposed to be a simple, systematic exchange of blood?

He tightens his fists and immediately chastises himself.

Why? Why on earth was he so sure of that? There is absolutely nothing to support that assumption. Doesn't he know firsthand of the types of relationships that can be forged from blood, intentional or otherwise?

Blood is powerful, and so are the bonds that arise from it.

How could he ever have forgotten it?

How many times has he given blood to Zero? Whatever connection that had probably formed when he first offered his blood to Zero lingered ever since and continued to grow until it most likely needed only a trigger to develop into…into whatever this is.

Kaname closes his eyes and drags a hand shakily across his face. Is this bond temporary…or….is it permanent?

Suddenly, the number of times he gave Zero his blood looms ominously in his mind.

Kaname swallows. How could he have let this happen?

Kaname winces and tries to recompose himself, but damn it, when has he ever been this careless before?

* * *

Zero scrunches up his face in discomfort as his mind slowly- and for no good reason at all-reels back from the nice, pleasant nothingness that is sleep.

Goddamn it. Why is he waking up?

Zero groans, but the jolt of awareness already rouses his consciousness and his eyes automatically open to gaze around sleepily. He thinks vaguely that really, nothing woke him up; it's just his brain being incredibly uncooperative right now. Or stupid.

Probably both, because seriously? What the hell?

Sleep still weighs down heavily over him, dragging a fuzzy blackness over his thoughts and soothing his muscles back into laziness. He can't-doesn't want to- move at all. He feels exhausted and waking up has never looked-felt-this unpleasant and unappealing than it does right now.

Mm. Zero grumbles incoherently under his breath. Yesterday was…what? Friday? Then, it's the weekend. Good. He can sleep in.

He nestles himself deeper in the warm covers. And then sighs in contentment when the blanket wraps him in a satisfyingly comfortable cocoon of heat. More sleep sounds fantastic.

Zero hums and turns himself to the left, determined to go back to sleep, eyelids lowering when something odd catches his eye. He furrows his eyebrows in sudden confusion.

Skin? Is that skin?

He blinks blearily. A kaleidoscope of colors meets his eyes, and he grimaces at the disorientation. Thin bars of pale pink and gold lay across the covers and walls. They tremble against the soft, gray shadows that settle over the room.

Sunset colors.

Zero hazards a guess that it is probably early evening right now, the last rays of the day slanting through the window.

He frowns and focuses ahead on that weird block of color that stands so conspicuously. His eyes trace the shoulder blades, the lines of muscles tensing, and oh, it's a back.

Huh.

Why is he looking at someone's back? He squints sleepily. Is it really someone's back? Doesn't that mean someone is sitting in his bed like that?

Weird. He must be dreaming then.

Zero closes his eyes and then cracks them open again in slight unease.

…He _is_ dreaming, right?

Zero narrows his eyes as wariness finally begins to wade its way through his sleep-muddled mind. It doesn't hurt to check?

He reaches out curiously and pokes the middle of the mysterious back. Zero raises an eyebrow at the distinct feeling of warm skin and flesh that comes into contact with his index finger.

Huh. That…that feels real.

The owner of the back then turns back, and Zero sees familiar russet eyes staring back at him wide in surprise and dread. He finally registers the dark brunette locks as well.

Kaname. This is Kaname. Kaname is sitting in his bed.

What.

His mind is completely stupefied with that revelation, and nothing else registers. Zero thinks distantly that maybe, he should start panicking- because what the absolute fuck?- but this all feels too surreal. It can't be real.

A dream, isn't this a dream?

He blinks uncomprehendingly at Kaname, and then asks numbly, "Why are you not wearing a shirt?"

As soon as the words slip out, an odd expression crosses Kaname's face. Kaname's forehead creases and something akin to both exasperation and panic flashes in his eyes.

Zero blinks again. It…looks like he wants to jump out the window or something, Zero thinks blankly. And if that doesn't signal the end of the world, he honestly doesn't know what would.

. . .

Wait, what?

And just like that, reality finally begins to sink in with all of its jagged edges and tears through the hazy drowsiness. This is not a dream. He is not dreaming.

Zero widens his eyes and stares at Kaname speechless. Oh, god, what? _What?_

Kaname is in his bed. _His_ bed. As in together and-and what? How? _Why_?

Crap. Crapcrapcrap. _Crap._

His brain scrambles to make head or tail of this, but the entire situation is a chimera that defies all nature. There are so many things that are wrong here; that don't belong here; that shouldn't even _be_ here in the first place for him to even freak out over.

H _ow_? How did any of this happen? How did things get like this?

Curses stream repeatedly through his head like some demented litany, and the only thing Zero knows is that he has a very creative and expansive vocabulary of colorful language that surprises even him.

In short, nothing. He gets _nothing_ about this.

The only thing Zero is certain of is that he is very much awake and that he really, really does not want to be.

Zero exhales and runs a hand shakily through his hair.

Ok. Shit. Alright, well, clearly, he needs to be more vigilant because how the hell does it take him this long to notice that there is someone else in the bed?

Zero pauses and looks blankly down at himself. Cold dread coils up in his stomach, heavy and uneasy.

Oh, god. This…isn't-can't be what it looks like, right? Because he can very much feel the cotton threads rubbing against his skin now, in places where they definitely should not if say, for example, he was wearing clothes. And from what Zero can see, Kaname isn't either.

Oh, shit. Shit.

He says weakly, "Tell me I'm dreaming."

Kaname only looks at him resignedly before he sighs and drops his forehead down into his hands.

Needless to say, it does nothing - absolutely nothing - to calm Zero down.

Zero closes his eyes and feels the onset of panic and adrenaline streaking frenziedly through his veins. It mixes nauseatingly with the cold inkiness of the anxiety that sits in his stomach.

This makes no sense. No sense whatsoever.

All that comes to him is another onslaught of curse words and incoherent thoughts that confirms the dark premonition that he definitely messed up yesterday.

Damn it. What _happened_ yesterday?

Zero runs a hand agitatedly through his hair and frowns. He remembers the conversation, remembers the things they said… then…and then he hurt his hand. Kaname offered his blood. He drank.

Zero furrows his eyebrows. The blood tasted different, didn't it? Kaname's blood is always rich -Kaname is a pureblood after all-but yesterday, it tasted exceptionally so.

And then, Zero remembers feeling really warm and-and just really content afterwards.

…which is strange because that is not his usual state after feeding; It's usually the opposite. That does not matter though because nothing he remembers right now explains anything.

He frowns. What else? What else is he leaving out? That can't be it.

Zero closes his eyes and tries his best to drag back the elusive memories that he knows are there, but the images dissolve as soon as he touches them, like words sitting infuriatingly on the tip of his tongue refusing to be spoken.

Zero frowns. Concentrate. He needs to remember. Concentrate.

His expression creases when his mind rummages through and an image finally surfaces. It's so vague and indistinct that it takes everything he has to hold onto the will-o'-wisp of the memory before it bobs away from his reach again.

His eyebrows furrow even more as he tries his best to focus. He remembers faintly reaching out to Kaname… Reaching out with his hand still bloody like-like he wanted Kaname to take it and…and-

Zero swallows and his eyes snap open. Did-did Kaname-?

He hesitates before running a finger across his tattoo. The touch immediately triggers a trail of goosebumps and Zero winces at the way his overly sensitive skin tingles and aches unbearably.

Kaname bit him. Zero swallows again, heart beating erratically at the thought. Kaname bit him, but…he does not think - he remembers faintly feeling so warm, satisfied, and – and - .

Did...did he _want_ Kaname to bite him?

At that, Zero immediately freezes. What? What… the hell was wrong with him yesterday?

As if in answer, snapshots of bare skin and heated gazes suddenly flit through his mind. Zero can feel his cheeks burning, and he instantly shies away from the images and the implications that they bring.

Shit. Oh, shit.

He fumbles to shut down that particular memory lane with another roadblock of profanity.

Oh, god.

It literally takes everything he has not to completely lose it as the reality of last night finally plunges through.

 _How_? How did any of that happen?

Zero bites his lip and unconsciously curls up his legs. He feels incredibly exposed now. The feeling chafes him before his cheeks flush again as his mind reminds him of the reason for his state of undress.

Crap. Crapcrap. Crap.

He has the childish urge to close his eyes, drown in the covers, and indulge in extreme self-denial. Because god no, this cannot be happening. It can't be.

What the hell is he supposed to do right now? Or say?

He has a minefield of thoughts he really doesn't want to investigate or trigger. Zero does not even dare to breathe or move because god, he can _feel_ Kaname's presence hovering right at his right, making him all too well aware of the situation right now. He hates how hypervigilant he feels right now. The sudden awareness is like an itch he cannot scratch or get rid of, and has Zero desperately wishing for an escape route.

 _Why?_ Why did this happen?

"Zero?" Kaname asks warily after realizing that Zero is quiet for far too long. He turns back awkwardly, adjusting the covers as he does so when Kaname remembers that he still has not gotten up to get dressed yet.

He swallows, tries not to think about that, and instead looks toward Zero questioningly.

Startled, Zero jolts and snaps his head back towards Kaname. He tries not to let his panic show so visibly, but his skin itches under Kaname's stare and Zero feels even more exposed than he already is. Looking at Kaname is the glaring confirmation that shit, this is actually happening.

Zero swallows. He immediately looks away, and his fingers grip the covers even more tightly as he desperately prays that his cheeks don't look as red as they feel.

Goddamn it.

Kaname takes in the brief snatch of lilac eyes widening at him and cheeks reddening in embarrassment before Zero ducks his head and stares fixatedly down at his hands instead. And just like that, an image of last night drifts up with those cheeks flushed with color again for a very different reason.

Kaname widens his eyes and quickly suppresses that thought. It absolutely is not at all what he needs right now, and then it is his turn to look away. What is wrong with him?

He takes a deep breath and silently steels himself. Things will go nowhere if this continues. They need to at least be able to look at each other if he wants to discuss the bond anytime this century.

God, this is not the conversation he thought he would ever have with Zero.

Kaname sighs before he ventures reluctantly, "Zero, we…we should talk-"

"We should get dressed," Zero says abruptly. And then immediately regrets the words when Kaname blinks at his sudden statement.

Zero swallows. He really, really wants clothes right now. Immediately. And, yeah, maybe he also just wants to avoid the conversation right now.

Or maybe forever because he seriously cannot understand what's going on right now.

He needs the excuse, needs to stall for time. Because while Kaname looks like he has finally gathered his thoughts, Zero is still very much in the process of freaking out. All of his thoughts might as well be scattered breadcrumbs in the middle of a goddamn windstorm.

Kaname stares blankly at him, and Zero feels heat crawling up his neck and his cheeks again. Damn it, he already hates this conversation, and it has barely even started.

Clothes, he needs clothes. And a case of convenient amnesia.

"…Alright," Kaname says, not really knowing what else he should say to that. Zero is practically squirming in discomfort right now, and he does not know to react to that either.

Zero nods and then looks up at him hesitatingly, an unspoken question in his eyes.

Kaname pauses. He senses that it is something painfully obvious; that if Kaname was his usual discerning self, he would have recognized the hint for what it is already. But, all he registers is Zero blushing again and his mind once again unhelpfully supplies him with vague-and unasked for- memories of last night that leave him both disconcerted and completely irritated at himself.

…There has to be something wrong with him. There has to be.

He suppresses another long sigh. Kaname is completely fed up with his own thought process, and finally gives in and asks, "Zero?"

Zero mentally groans because really? Out of all the times Kaname chooses to not be perceptive, it's now?

He bites his lips and looks away. "Can you…?" Zero pauses. God, does he really have to say this aloud? Zero takes in a deep breath and manages to strangle out, "Can you - do you mind…turning away?"

Kaname immediately stills and his eyes are wide with realization before he stiffly nods and turns his head to face the other way. Zero cringes because damn it, somehow he made things even more awkward. Is that possible? _How_ is that even possible?

God, at this rate, he's going to die from sheer embarrassment.

Zero quickly slides out of bed, and then in his rush, nearly trips over the pair of paints lying on the floor.

And stupidity. He's going to die from embarrassment and stupidity.

Goddamn it.

No sense, it makes no sense. Nothing makes sense. Shit.

Zero grimaces in growing panic as he quickly walks over to the closet and determinedly tries not to look at himself or back at Kaname. He cringes at the very tangible feeling of self-consciousness creeping over him, making him feel even more exposed than ever. It pressures him to fling open the closet and grab the first goddamned shirt he sees.

He digs haphazardly through the drawers for a pair of boxers and then grabs a pair of sweatpants dangling from the clothes rack. Slips them quickly on and of course, almost tears the waistband in the process.

Great, just great.

Zero peeks over his shoulder, and sees Kaname still turning politely away. Kaname's posture is far too tensed to be at ease though, and it tells Zero that Kaname is very much uncomfortable with the entire situation.

Yeah, well, that makes two of them.

He surveys the floor quickly and sees various articles of clothing scattered over the floor. _Ripped_ articles of clothing with buttons littering all over as an unfortunate bonus.

Oh, fuck. Seriously? How far gone were they that-Zero immediately stops himself because damn it, he does _not_ need to pursue that train of thought.

The only thing that looks intact is Kaname's blazer and jacket and Zero suspects that it's only because Kaname took those off beforehand.

He hesitates before Zero rampages through his closet again to find a set of clothes for Kaname to wear as well. He ends up grabbing a pair of dark slacks, a random collared shirt, and boxers. Zero has no idea whether or not they fit Kaname, but he doesn't think Kaname would feel comfortable in sweats and a tee-shirt either, so what the hell? They're clean and most importantly, they're clothes.

He walks back towards the bed and clears his throat. Zero hears a sigh before Kaname turns to look cautiously at him and lifts an eyebrow.

"Here." Zero more or less shoves the clothes at Kaname.

Kaname blinks at the sudden barrage of fabric and glances down at the pile in confusion. Clothes?

"You," Kaname looks up again at Zero, and Zero immediately fidgets under the eye contact. "can change into these. Your clothes are, uh, ripped."

At the last word, Zero flushes again before he turns around in a clear sign to give Kaname privacy.

Kaname pauses and stares at Zero in both exasperation and even amusement despite the situation because really, what exactly does Zero keep thinking of?

. . . Most likely the same things that has Kaname reconsidering his own mentality right now.

He sighs before he stands up and shrugs on the shirt and the rest of the clothes, fingers automatically buttoning up the shirt without much thought. The clothes are a little tighter and shorter than he is accustomed to, but the difference is not severe enough to be uncomfortable.

All in all, Kaname is just grateful that he has clothes.

He glances at Zero again. Zero still has his back turned determinedly towards him. Kaname can practically feel the embarrassment radiating off Zero. If anything, Zero's own discomfort only adds to his own.

Sure enough, when Kaname clears his throat, there is a long, hesitant pause before Zero finally turns around to face him. However, Zero neither looks at him nor steps closer either. Instead, he shifts uneasily at the foot of the bed. His arms are crossed in front of him, and his cheeks are still pink with color.

Zero looks remarkably lost in his own room.

It brings Kaname's own discomfort to mind, and he frowns again. He has no idea what to say now, not with the awkwardness that stretches between them and clings on all his words and thoughts like invisible cobwebs.

Kaname glances at Zero and settles for saying instead, "Thank you for the clothes."

The words come out stiffer than he would have liked, but it prods Zero into looking his direction. Zero blinks before nodding numbly. Shifting again on his feet, he mumbles hurriedly, "It's fine."

Zero lifts his head then, and Kaname sees the clear hesitance on Zero's face before Zero breaks the eye contact and looks away again.

Zero has no idea what to say after that, and neither does Kaname, so the room falls once more in awkward silence.

Kaname sighs in frustration, and his fingers come up to rub at his temples tiredly.

At the uncharacteristic sound, Zero automatically looks back at him.

"This is ridiculous." Kaname pauses before gazing straight at him, russet eyes sharp and resolute. "We should be able to hold a conversation with each other."

With that, Kaname moves and sits down on the bed. Zero blinks at the sudden assertiveness, and then his mouth runs dry when Kaname does not explain, but instead raises an eyebrow in clear expectation and challenge.

Sit? Zero's eyes flick to the bed, then to Kaname, widening involuntarily in discomfort and unease. Does…does he have to? He glances back again and Kaname is still looking at him, expectant and patient.

Damn it.

Zero swallows before he sits down resignedly on the bed. A conversation, it's just a conversation, Zero reminds himself. He needs to stop overthinking this because frankly, it's getting pathetic how melodramatic he's being. He does not need to make things more difficult than they already are.

Kaname, on the other hand, notes the careful distance between them. It is painstakingly obvious that Zero looks no more at ease sitting down than standing up.

Kaname sighs before remarking, "Zero, you are-"

"Making this more awkward?" Zero interrupts, voice dry and frustrated. He grimaces. "I know. I know, ok? But-But-" Zero stops and visibly struggles for words that fail to come.

"We slept together." Zero suddenly blurts out before he clamps his mouth shut, eyes widening in self- chastisement and horror. It's too late though, and the words are already echoing in the room, the truth in them too abrasive and glaring for Zero to handle.

He immediately looks away again and goes back to cursing in his head as an alternative to throwing himself out the window.

Forget thinking. He needs to stop talking. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with him today?

Out of the corner of his eye, Zero can see Kaname flinch a little at the statement, and he mentally groans again at himself.

"Do you…" Zero looks up at Kaname, who has a strange expression now. Kaname hesitates before continuing, "What do you remember?"

Zero blinks at the odd question, because if anything, that seems like a terrible invitation for Zero to drag up more unnecessary and retarded things. Things he does not want to think about much less talk about.

So instead, he dodges the question entirely and instead gazes at Kaname, lilac eyes wide and pleading and asks weakly, "Do we really have to go over that?"

The expression nearly wrenches sympathy from Kaname before he reminds himself that this conversation is necessary.

Even if it _is_ obvious that the two of them would much rather be doing anything else than continue it.

He sighs again before replying firmly, "We do."

Zero frowns unhappily. Kaname does not look he would budge on this. With clear reluctance, Zero grumbles, "Fine. I don't remember everything exactly. Everything after I drank from you is…foggy, I guess."

Zero's response confirms what Kaname already expected. The pheromones were certainly potent to make the two of them so far gone, and Kaname wonders if that is normal. His eyes narrow in sudden contemplation.

 _Are_ pheromones a usual part of bonding? Is it a side effect?

He should look into that. Research it himself to keep it discreet as well or else -

"But I remember enough." Kaname starts and looks up at Zero again. Zero continues uncomfortably, "Enough to know that we had-that we, you know." He pauses, hand lifting up to rub the back of his neck and gaze sliding to the bed, "And that it was my fault."

"Your fault?" Kaname repeats, eyebrows slanting down in puzzlement. "What do you mean by that?"

To his surprise, Zero stares at him disbelievingly before answering flatly, "My hand was bleeding."

Kaname waits for Zero to elaborate, but Zero stays quiet, apparently deeming his short answer sufficient enough to explain everything.

Needless to say, it does not.

Kaname shakes his head before prompting Zero, "And what of it? You did not intentionally hurt your hand."

Kaname thinks quite frankly, that his response merits neither the sheer amount of incredulity in Zero's expression right now nor the vexed glare. Shouldn't he be the one exasperated right now?

He's the one having to decipher all of these vague statements on top of having to maintain this conversation.

"Zero, you're not making any sense. I don't understand how you think it's your fault."

It kind of irks Zero how tiredly Kaname says that, as if Zero went out of his way to make things more difficult for the both of them. But he really does not want to explain either because what he remembers is as embarrassing as it would be to say out loud. Instead he replies, as equally vague as before, "I didn't pull away."

This time though, Kaname finally understands why Zero thinks it's his fault. He gives Zero another assessing look before saying simply, "And I didn't push you away. I am as equally at fault as you are, or more, actually."

Zero merely blinks back at him. Of course, Kaname didn't push him away. Him bleeding all over the place was the same as dangling meat before an animal. And offering that bleeding hand was practically an invitation to - to -

Zero immediately reddens. God, what was wrong with him yesterday? For him to do that…

"Zero," Kaname continues, eyes regarding him speculatively. "Do you know what pheromones are?"

"Pheromones?" Zero repeats with furrowed eyebrows. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Did my blood taste different?"

Different? Zero blinks again before his eyes widen with sudden realization. Oh. Huh. That's…not at all what he expected. Pheromones?

Finally latching on a plausible explanation, his mind speeds through the very little memories he has of last night again. Can pheromones explain what happened last night?

Zero asks distractedly as his mind racks through the flashes of colors and rambling thoughts for an explanation, "Is that even possible? How?"

Kaname surveys Zero carefully, a little surprised at how well Zero seems to be taking this, before continuing, "They affected you first, so I assume that is because you drank from me. How else can you explain our behavior?"

Zero pauses and then, something nags at his mind. Because while the presence of pheromones does explain a great deal about their actions last night - thank fuck, it does because Zero was seriously beginning to question his own sanity - but…is that all that happened yesterday?

He thinks uneasily that there are still…some things… that pheromones cannot explain.

But then again, considering he keeps skipping biology class, what the hell does he know about pheromones anyway? And vampire ones too at that. Zero did not even know that existed.

Zero glances at Kaname only to see him staring back at him in return, mahogany eyes shrewdly observing his reaction. It does nothing to quell the inexplicable feeling of apprehension swelling in him.

He asks hesitantly, "Why were they even there in the first place? This…this doesn't usually happen, right?"

Kaname pauses at that. He can tell that Zero is starting to suspect that there is something else to the story but Zero is still so woefully ignorant of the ways of vampire nature. Should Kaname tell him now? About the possible blood bond?

Kaname frowns slightly. It aggravates him that he still cannot grasp the full extent of this bond. Is this bond temporary? Permanent? How strong is it?

Kaname's eyes flick to Zero warily, who shifts again under the heavy gaze. This time though, Zero furrows his eyebrows in confusion at Kaname's silence before sudden awareness dawns in his eyes. "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"

His eyes narrow in growing suspicion. "What is it?"

Kaname sighs. "Zero…you…you know very little about vampires."

The seemingly pretentious words automatically irritate Zero, but his usual, sharp retort dies on his tongue when he sees Kaname looking genuinely stressed. It is a rare expression on Kaname, and seeing it intensifies Zero's own growing alarm.

What's going on? They… they slept together last night, and as horribly terrible as that is, isn't that all that happened yesterday?

His mind drifts back to when he first woke up and saw Kaname sitting on the side of the bed, the tension in his back, his facial expression, and wonders if Kaname was perturbed by something entirely different than what Zero was panicking about.

But…what is it? And how could it possibly be worse than what has already happened?

Zero pauses and looks cautiously at Kaname. He asks slowly, "What do you mean by that?"

Kaname pauses for a moment before coming to a decision. Quietly, he asks, "Did you know that sharing blood is not something to take lightly?"

Zero blinks, not comprehending the solemnness of Kaname's tone.

Kaname sighs again and elaborates, "To us vampires, blood is something sacred. It is as much as part of you as your identity. It carries your thoughts, your feelings, your spirit, your consciousness. Everything. It carries everything that defines you."

He pauses and a weary expression darkens his eyes. "That is why blood is powerful and dangerous."

Kaname directs a meaningful gaze at Zero, and continues steadily, "Giving one's blood is something reserved for one's intimate partner, the person they cherish. Offering one's blood is the same as giving away a part of yourself. Drinking another's blood and then sharing your own in return is regarded as the ultimate act of trust and…intimacy."

Zero widens his eyes as his mind processes those words over and over again. Sacred? Cherish? An act of trust and intimacy?

He swallows hard as Kaname's message finally registers in his mind. Appalled, he stares at Kaname uncomprehendingly, "But…But you…I've taken blood from you several times. More than once…If this is supposed to be something so significant, why…why would you let me?"

Kaname immediately stiffens and then looks away. There is a beat of silence before he says quietly, "Because Yuki did not want to lose you. I had no other choice."

Even as Kaname says those words, doubt and self-chastisement filters through his thoughts because is that true? That he had no other choice?

Isn't the one he's trying to convince right now himself?

He knew the risks, the serious consequences of offering his blood, and yet… somehow against the landscape of stratagems and cold logic, it seemed like a necessary decision.

But now?

Now, it seems like an unnecessarily extreme decision, and familiar frustration sears through him because why does he keep making decisions like these? How could he have made such a severe blunder?

* * *

Zero, on the other hand, is rendered speechless.

Because of Yuki?

He…Kaname…he really loves Yuki that much that he would take such a risk?

Zero is not stupid. He can tell from Kaname's explanation, that this is a critical issue. That Kaname offering his blood so freely has so many more dangerous implications than Zero can grasp.

Shit, this really is not something to take lightly.

But…but even if this is all for Yuki, how could Kaname be so incredibly reckless?

If…if Zero had known, he would have…have…

Zero frowns. He wants to say that he would have been more adamant in his refusal, that he definitely would have stopped this. But his mind whispers mockingly that if he couldn't have pushed Kaname away that first time, fight his bloodthirst every time it comes up, then why would knowing change anything?

He glances at Kaname. Something plummets in his stomach when he still sees the strained lines of tension and stress standing prominent in Kaname's form. There is still something Kaname has not said yet, and by now, Zero is frankly terrified to know what else he is in the dark about.

He wavers, but decides what the hell? The entire situation is beyond messed up, and he might as well finish the jump off the deep end.

So Zero takes a shaky breath and says in a strained voice, hoping against all lost odds that things cannot be any worse, "That's…that's not all, is it?"

Kaname blinks, startled from his own disarray of thoughts, and hesitates before saying slowly, "Zero…yesterday, I drank from you."

Zero stills. The words ring out solemn and heavy in the air with all the weight of a gavel crashing down, but he cannot comprehend the sentence that they deliver. "What…what does that mean?"

Kaname swallows. "We're bonded."

"…Bonded?" Zero can only stare blankly at Kaname. What the hell does that mean?

Kaname sighs again, and Zero wonders if he should feel guilty for that or something because never before has he heard Kaname sigh this much in one sitting. "As in mates."

"Mates?" Zero repeats, and something must have shown in his expression because an incredibly pained look crosses Kaname's face.

" _Zero_." Zero blinks at the sheer exasperation contained in that one word as Kaname rubs his forehead tiredly. "Must I explain this too? Surely, even you must know what this implies."

Zero frowns slightly at that before his eyes narrow in contemplation.

Wait, mates? Didn't sensei go over that once before? Something about vampire and their mates and how important that is?

…If he can remember correctly, to vampires, mates are who they choose to spend their lifetime together…which considering just how long the lifespans of vampires are, isn't a mate the same thing as a partner for all eternity?

And then, Kaname's words from earlier echo in Zero's mind. _Sharing and giving one's blood is the ultimate act of trust and intimacy._

Zero reflexively covers his face with his hand in growing disbelief and dismay. This… is starting to sound less and less like a one night stand and more and more like they eloped or something.

Zero cringes. That's a terrible analogy. Oh, god.

Another memory nudges through, and then, Zero freezes. Bonds. Vampire bonds. Mates.

How could he forget?

A bond also means an unbreakable, intimately close connection that links two individuals. Losing a mate is an irreparable loss, a pain that no vampire can endure. Most are driven to the point of insanity because of it…

Zero swallows, cold dread knotting his stomach. Like Shizuka.

No.

What? How-how can that be? How could he be bonded to Kaname?

His voice cracks, and Zero falters because how the hell could this have happened? "H-how is this even possible?"

Kaname's gaze slides sharply to Zero. There is a pain in Zero's eyes, veiled by the disbelief that makes his eyes narrow ever so slightly in turn. He knows instinctively that Zero must be remembering his past right now, that this must be a sensitive topic for Zero.

The reminder also leaves Kaname all too well aware of the possible consequences of the bond.

He speaks up, eyes surveying Zero warily, "I gave you my blood on multiple occasions, Zero. It wouldn't be out of the question if a…connection of sorts formed. And when I drank from you, it must have completed the bond."

"But…" Zero bites his lips, "But…don't you have to have, you know, a relationship and feelings or something like that?" He looks up at Kaname, hesitant, and ventures, "Does taking someone else's blood automatically lead to a bond like that?"

Kaname has to pause because in all honesty, that has been bothering him as well. Zero notes with some alarm that Kaname seems to be as confused about the situation as he is.

Kaname explains slowly, "There are different bonds that can form during blood exchanges. For a blood bond to form…I always assumed that there had to be mutual feelings involved, that the two people involved had to be both willing to open up to each other and accept each other."

He sighs before admitting wryly, "It's why I thought there wouldn't be any repercussion with giving blood to you. We do not exactly get along with each other, after all." Kaname's forehead creases with sudden realization, "But then again, we were affected by the pheromones. Perhaps they…"

His voice trails off as Kaname thinks about that possibility. It wouldn't be a stretch, would it? That the pheromones induced he and Zero to such a state that perhaps, on some subconscious level, they were able to relate to each other? Shared an understanding?

Kaname looks deep in thought, no doubt analyzing the possible effects of the pheromones. The only thing running though Zero's mind, on the other hand, is the nature of the bond.

Something else, something else, had to cause the pheromones to appear in the first place so that the bond could form. His mind goes through yesterday's events again. This time, the conclusion that he arrives at has him shifting in agitation again.

He swallows and asks hesitantly, "Do you think the trigger was…because of yesterday? Because of how messed up I was?"

Startled, Kaname looks at Zero. Yesterday?

His mind flashes back to the conversation from yesterday again, the way he felt, the things that the both of them let slipped out, the pain he saw on Zero's face and his own when he realized how utterly careless he had been with his decisions.

Just like this one, his mind sharply points out.

Kaname inwardly frowns at himself. What is done is done, and he knows better than anyone that the past cannot be changed.

He observes Zero carefully. It is true that yesterday's conversation left the both of them emotionally exhausted and affected, so that might have been part of the reason for the bond. But, there is a an echo of yesterday's vulnerability shadowing Zero's eyes now that Kaname does not like, so he says firmly, "I don't know. But regardless, it would have happened either way."

Zero does not say anything, and Kaname can just tell that Zero has already stubbornly accepted whatever conclusion he arrived at. He frowns and reiterates, "Zero, I gave you my blood several times. Looking back on it now, a bond was most likely inevitable."

"Is it permanent?"

Kaname blinks at Zero's sudden question. Perplexed, he starts uncertainly, "I don't…know." At Zero's wide-eyed stare, he continues cautiously, "Blood bonds usually are."

As soon as the words slip out, Kaname knows instinctively that it is the wrong thing to say. Disillusionment and desperation shutters over Zero's eyes, and Kaname is suddenly reminded by how those same eyes looked at him yesterday, so pained and vulnerable.

Deja-vu slinks through Kaname unnervingly. It leaves him tensing in preparation, eyes tracking Zero carefully.

Zero presses clenched fingers against his lips, and his next words come out muffled and tired. "You shouldn't have come yesterday."

Kaname can hear him perfectly clear though. The words tumble into the darkness and are more than enough to shoulder the conversation onto a treacherous path. Disbelief runs through him, an electric blue that leaves his veins cold because no, Zero cannot possibly be thinking of this again.

With eyes narrowed, he says sharply, "What are you saying, Zero?"

Zero tenses at Kaname's tone, but continues, "I'm saying you should have left me alone."

Alone? The implications of that one sentence have Kaname reeling back in alarm before frustration takes over. Distantly, he can feel the side of his neck throbbing lightly in unease, but Kaname is too incensed to give it much thought.

He growls, russet eyes deepening in a redder shade of brown. "To do what? To kill yourself? How would that solve anything?"

Zero flinches at Kaname's rare anger, but he narrows his eyes. Kaname doesn't get it. Can't he see how messed up they are now? What the bond really means for the both of them?

He retorts, "It would have meant that we wouldn't have been bonded together!"

Kaname's eyes widen in further disbelief. Can Zero hear himself?

He counters darkly, "Yes, it might have. But it would also mean that you would no longer be here! Do you have any idea what you're saying right now?"

Zero tenses and looks down in answer. The anger in Kaname's voice catches him off guard. It distracts him enough that the retort on his tongue slips back and lodges in his throat. Because Kaname keeps doing this. Keeps surprising him like this.

Kaname isn't the person Zero thought he was, and that- it's so _frustrating_. How is he supposed to react now with Kaname looking at him like Zero already went and jumped off the rooftop?

It reminds him of yesterday, of the expressions and words Zero never thought he would hear or see from Kaname.

"Zero." Zero blinks and looks up, startled to see that Kaname is no longer sitting to his left, but is standing right in front with him. In reflex, Zero immediately rises to his feet, the covers rustling under him. Kaname frowns and reflexively grabs Zero, jerks him back forward before he can move away.

Zero's eyes dart from the hand clasped on his wrist to Kaname's face in alarm. "W-what are you doing? Let go."

Kaname ignores him though, and repeats again, "Do you understand what you're trying to say?"

Zero visibly shifts again, gaze landing anywhere but at Kaname. Kaname's jaw clenches at Zero's aversion. Frustration rakes its claws across all of Kaname's thoughts, tears through his usual composure like wet tissue.

God, what is Zero even thinking right now?

Everything about this vexes him, the sudden turn of conversation, how eerily similar this is to yesterday. All of it.

He does not want a repeat of yesterday. He doesn't. Kaname cannot handle another conversation like that again.

The mere thought that things could teeter back into that dangerous realm sends Kaname's blood pulsing through his veins, his muscles tightening, fingers twitching and restless.

It irritates Kaname how carelessly Zero can utter these words, and how easily they dig underneath Kaname's skin, embedding there like rough splinters.

Aggravated, Kaname tightens his grip on that surprisingly delicate wrist and bites out, "Did you forget what you said yesterday? You said you wouldn't think about this again. You wouldn't do it again. So you…"

Kaname looks searchingly at Zero, and his voice comes out with a desperateness, a weariness that surprises even him, "Why are you still talking like you want to die?"

Zero opens his mouth to speak, but then closes it again in silence.

He doesn't like it.

The way those dark eyes pin him down, all-encompassing and simmering with something disquieting, something that resembles a lot like hurt and betrayal. But that can't be right.

Can it?

Even the heavy disapproval in Kaname's words is laced with something different from the usual coldness, the lazy condescension. It feels sharper and abrasive somehow.

Zero doesn't understand it.

The feeling swells through him, and god, Zero hates how much Kaname's reaction bothers him. He didn't think Kaname would still regard yesterday's events so seriously.

Most of all, Zero hates the sudden guilt that coils through him for returning that same pained, frustrated expression from yesterday on Kaname.

But it's not like he meant to do that, to scare Kaname. It's just that doesn't Kaname realize it yet? Realize what the bond means for him?

Zero furrows his eyebrows and tries to shake off Kaname's wrist, but it doesn't budge. He looks back at Kaname, and says helplessly, "Stop it. Stop looking like that. I- I didn't mean it like that."

"Then, what did you mean?" Kaname shakes the wrist, fingers tightening even more, and Zero winces at the sharp pain lancing through his arm. Kaname does not relent though, and merely fixes Zero with another withering, grim look. "What do you mean, Zero? Do you know what this sounds like to me? You cannot fling around words just for the sake of it."

Kaname tightens his grip. Zero widens his eyes, less at the increasing pain and more at Kaname's growing ire that surprises the both of them.

"Not on this. Especially not on this. This isn't something trivial. Your life isn't something trivial. You cannot give me your word, and then change your opinion the next day. I'm not treating this as a game, so don't you dare do it either."

Zero's heart races, and Kaname's words drum through at the same dizzying pace. He stares at Kaname, lilac eyes widening in shock. The concern belying Kaname's harsh words surprises Zero and incites him to argue defensively, "I'm not!"

Kaname pauses, but he looks completely unconvinced.

Zero swallows. The reality of the situation, all of the emotions from yesterday, everything crashes over him again, and god, they have barely scratched at the surface of the glacier of this issue, and _Kaname still hasn't gotten it_.

"It's not that I'm going to do-do anything stupid. Not now.…It's just..."

Zero pauses and struggles for words before he gives Kaname a frazzled look. He takes a deep breath before his eyes steel in sudden resolve, and he looks squarely at Kaname with his voice rising. "This bond should never have happened! You don't get it. Anything would have been better if it meant this bond wouldn't have formed!"

Kaname breaks in sharply, "Even if that meant you might have pulled the trigger yesterday?"

"Yes!" Before Kaname could argue, Zero continues, his other free hand coming up to shove at Kaname's chest.

"Don't…Don't look at me like that! I'm the one who should be angry. You're so reckless! Why the hell would you take such a risk like this? Give me your stupid blood when you knew it might lead to a bond? Do you have any idea how I feel right now?"

All of his thoughts are a torrent of images and words that roars as loudly in his head as the heartbeat that threatens to escape from under his skin, and fuck, Zero can't handle them anymore. He enunciates his next words with another shove, "I'm bonded to you! A pureblood! You know how I feel about you and your kind! How I lost my family!"

"Zero…" Kaname blinks, taken aback by Zero's sudden outburst, and before he can say anything or even think anything, Zero is already shov

ing him again and glowering at him.

"But that's not even it! That's not - you - I know what I said yesterday. I said I won't, and I won't. I wasn't lying. I'm _not_. But even if I was, it's not like I could now… Not - not when we're bonded like this. But that doesn't even matter anymore because – because -"

Zero barely takes a breath before he yells again, lilac eyes flashing with barely restrained emotion. "You're such an idiot!"

He hits Kaname once more for good measure. It has the same effect as a goddamned dust bunny, but Zero doesn't care. The words are tumbling down from his mouth faster than his mind can catch their significance.

"If this is permanent - if this is permanent...fuck, do you even know what that means? You're bonded to me. A level E, an ex-human. You know what my life expectancy is. Why didn't you think about that before giving me your blood!? If I go, wouldn't you be affected too? How am I supposed to deal with that? How could you do that to yourself? If anything, you're the one with a death wish!"

The words rebound against the walls, and they vibrate in the air long after Zero has said them. Zero breathes heavily. His head swims, but he can't tell if that's because of the blood rushing through his head or the thoughts volleying through his mind.

Zero inwardly cringes. He said too much. He instinctively takes a step back, but the skin of his wrist drags and his legs knock back into the side of the bed and damn it, Kaname is still holding his wrist. But, Kaname's face looks so blank that Zero wonders if he even realizes it.

He swallows and looks away. He definitely said too much. Zero tugs at Kaname's hand that's still gripping his wrist and murmurs, "Let go."

Kaname does not hear him though. Zero's words run listlessly through his head, and he cannot seem to register any of them.

_How could you do that to yourself?_

It...There's something odd about that statement, that wording, the outraged glare that Zero gave him when saying it. It replays in his mind over and over again, a snag in his thoughts that Kaname cannot smooth over or unfurl.

Because Zero didn't say: How could you do that to me? Instead, he said: How could you do that to yourself?

The mere change in the last words in the two questions is an astronomical difference in meaning. And Kaname honestly doesn't know how he should respond to that, if he is even supposed to notice that particular detail, or if Zero understands the significance himself.

Zero is ….angry for reasons that Kaname never expected him to have.

When Kaname does not answer or respond, Zero frowns and lifts his head up to glare at him only to furrow his eyebrows at Kaname' expression. He looks strangely contemplative, eyes studying Zero as if Zero had done something unexplainable and odd.

Zero shifts uncomfortably at the sudden scrutiny and instead tugs again, "You're still holding my wrist. Let go already."

Kaname's eyes travel down to his hand and Zero's wrist, and Zero gets the feeling that he really did forget that he was holding it. At Zero's pointed look, Kaname promptly lets go.

Zero draws the arm back towards himself, fingers rubbing idly at his wrist. Kaname's silence is starting to make him feel antsy. Did…did he do something weird? He…did just sort of blew up at Kaname, but...

Zero glances at Kaname again, and is about to ask before Kaname speaks up, voice careful and expression measured. "I…do realize that being bonded to you might have that risk. I…just didn't expect you would feel so strongly about it."

Zero furrows his eyebrows before he gets what Kaname is trying to say.

To Kaname's surprise, Zero glares at Kaname before retorting in disbelief, "Of course, I do. It's not like I would feel happy knowing that I dragged you down to hell with me like that. If I die, and we're still bonded, there's a good chance that you will too. How the hell am I supposed to feel about that?"

Kaname gives him another undecipherable look and stays silent. Zero frowns again because Kaname's reaction seems off, and something that has been nagging him this whole time finally surfaces again. More subdued, he asks, "You're…pretty calm, Kaname. You-why aren't you more…shouldn't you be the one who should be freaking out over this?"

Kaname pauses- He wasn't expecting that question- before shrugging slightly. He answers vaguely, "I'm a pureblood, Zero. Time can be as much of a curse as it is a blessing."

Zero frowns again. What the heck does that mean? That it doesn't matter? That Zero shouldn't worry about it then? Or that Kaname just doesn't care?

Somehow that last thought seems like the most concerning answer of them all.

It isn't like Zero is expecting Kaname to have a mental breakdown or a fit, but he expects _something_.

Something more like an actual answer and less like some pearls of wisdom printed on an inspirational calendar.

It unsettles Zero. Kaname knows what he's really trying to ask. He wants to know how Kaname feels about this, the possibility that because they're bonded, Kaname's lifespan will be cut shorter than it should. And yet...

There is an aged weariness in those words that far outstrips Kaname's appearance. Kaname sounds older than he should, and the blithe tone does not quite match the heaviness in Kaname's eyes either.

Zero bites his lips. He's probably overthinking thing, isn't he? He's noticing all these odd details that he normally does not care enough to pick up on too. Kaname is not obligated to answer him. It's not like they are friends in the first place.

Although, Zero isn't even sure what they _ar_ e at this point.

But Kaname's answer rings oddly in his ears, and it bugs him. It does not sound right. It should have been a straightforward answer. A longwinded complicated explanation even. Something with Kaname's usual cool-toned rationale.

Zero looks away, mumbling softly, "If I have to remember what you said yesterday, then so do you. Hypocrites annoy me."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow. He catches the implicit meaning. It surprises him to hear it, more so when he catches the slight narrowing of eyes, a troubled twist of the mouth that exposes Zero's concern over Kaname's answer. He didn't think Zero would think much of his response much less have this reaction. Kaname's eyes rove across Zero once more, and his features unconsciously soften when he sees Zero fidgeting again.

"How could I forget?" He pauses before continuing more seriously, "You shouldn't worry about this, Zero."

When Zero opens his mouth to object, Kaname emphasizes, "You shouldn't because you're only stressing yourself out unnecessarily. No one knows what will happen in the future, Zero. And if it happens… then so be it."

He adds more lightly, "Besides, I would like to think that my blood has been doing more than merely abating your bloodthirst. You haven't fallen yet, have you?"

"Well…no. But it doesn't mean that you shouldn't worry about this. Especially you. In fact, it's because we don't know what the hell will happen in the future that you should be more-" Zero stops mid-sentence when Kaname looks at him with the strangest expression, a cross between utter fascination and surprise.

"…What's wrong?" Zero asks slowly, confusion scrawled over his face. Did he say something weird?

Kaname thinks that Zero is rather more softhearted than he leads people on to think. Zero keeps bringing the conversation back to Kaname and his supposedly blasé attitude over the bond. And, although Zero does not seem to realize it, it reveals a lot more about Zero than it does about the possible risks of the bond.

Which of course, are all things that Kaname wisely keeps to himself. Instead, he only shrugs, "Nothing. What do you mean?"

"What do _I_ mean?" Zero repeats, bewildered. "You're the one who – you-" He splutters before stopping, and settles for looking at Kaname warily.

When Kaname does not explain, Zero furrows his eyebrows and turns away once more, muttering under his breath about how Kaname is an idiot, and are purebloods supposed be this carefree with their lives on the line like this, and how screw it, he's not going to bother with this shit anymore.

Kaname's lips twitch upwards in amusement. When Zero finally stops complaining and throwing in a few choice words, he gives Kaname another suspicious look before scowling and saying sourly, "And? What do we do now?"

"I suppose the only thing we can do is just to wait and see how things go….and I suppose adjusting ourselves accordingly."

Zero pauses before he ventures, "Does…what does that mean? Like…accept the bond?"

Kaname takes a moment to think and then nods. "If it comes to that."

"Kaname-"

Kaname sighs, and interrupts, "What do you want me to say, Zero? I have no idea how strong this bond this is. The best case scenario is that the bond will not change things too severely. The worst case scenario is that…well, you understand. Whatever is the case, it is best that we keep this quiet for the time being."

Zero frowns, "Yeah, well that's a given. But you can't honestly be ok with accepting the bond. I'm sure as hell not."

Kaname gives Zero an exceedingly dry look. "I'm not exactly thrilled either, but our opinions on the matter does not change the fact that we're bonded, and if we're forced to accept the bond, then what choice do we have?"

Zero frowns again at that answer, but Kaname is infuriatingly right as usual and he can't argue with that logic. He closes his eyes and sits back down on the bed.

God, nothing makes any sense anymore. Are they just supposed to go about their usual business and hope that nothing changes? What does a bond even make them do?

He opens his eyes again when he hears footsteps and fabric rustling. He turns towards the dresser where Kaname is leaning down to pick up the jacket and the blazer. Kaname holds them up and peers at them dubiously before he sighs and begins to shrug them on.

"Are you leaving?"

Kaname looks up, fingers still buttoning up the blazer even as he answers, "Yes. I should be back soon before the others are worried." He pauses and glances questioningly towards Zero. "Or did you still want to discuss?"

Zero cringes. "No. Go ahead."

Kaname nods and continues on to button his jacket. Zero sighs and looks blankly at the wall again before a thought strikes him. He asks curiously, "Can you feel the bond?"

Kaname lifts an eyebrow both at the question and its abruptness. "…a little. Do you not?"

Zero turns back to stare at him and says helplessly, "No? I don't know?"

Kaname blinks. "What do you mean you don't know?"

Zero stares at him exasperatedly. "How am I supposed to know? I'm still not sure what a bond is supposed to do."

Kaname sighs before his forehead creases with concern. What if Zero really doesn't feel the bond?

Would that be better? Make the bond easier to ignore? But then wouldn't that make it a rather one sided bond then? He doesn't know which would be the better alternative.

Kaname frowns and walks back over to Zero. "You truly don't feel anything?"

Zero shrugs his shoulders. "No?" He stops. "Well, I mean besides, my neck, nothing else feels weird."

Kaname's eyes flick to Zero's neck. "Your neck?"

"It's sensitive." Zero starts hesitantly, "Because you bit me, right?"

Kaname glances again at Zero's neck, expression contemplative. He seems to deliberate for another moment before he steps closer until he's right in front of Zero. Zero stiffens at the close proximity before he blinks confusedly.

"Kaname? What are you doing?"

Kaname looks thoughtful again, and then he stretches out a hand and reaches out towards Zero's neck. He carefully brushes a thumb over the region, where the tattoo stretches out, black ink on ivory. There does not seem to be any bruising or broken blood vessels on the neck. Tender, perhaps. The skin feels warm to the touch, smooth and soft. Vulnerable.

Under his fingertips, he can feel Zero's heartbeat beating steadily and strongly, blood thrumming through the blue veins he can see peeking through the milky skin. His ears uncannily focus on the sound, until he hear the heartbeat as surely as he can feel it.

It inexplicably draws his attention, coaxing and nostalgic in a way that makes Kaname involuntarily lean in closer. Without thinking, Kaname thumbs the area again. He notices that he can smell that odd unique scent again, remembers it from somewhere.

The images of last night dance through his mind once again.

It's Zero scent. Sunlight and vanilla. Distractedly, he murmurs aloud without noticing, "You smell different."

And it's true. There's still something Kaname can't quite place, a subtle scent that intermingles with the others. It's familiar. It smells…a lot like his own cologne. It most likely rubbed off from yesterday.

The thought… isn't as alien or disorienting as it should.

Instead, the observation brings him a strange sense of satisfaction. He does not know if it's because of the bond, but he registers the sensation all the same. Kaname turns the thought over and over again in his head, bewildered by it.

Zero suddenly inhales sharply. Kaname blinks and instantly stills his hand, palm cupping the side of Zero's neck. "Zero?"

Did he hurt him? Was he too rough?

Kaname looks down in concern both at the sound and at the sudden realization that they're standing too close to each other. Before he can withdraw, Zero's fingers come up and rests lightly on the hand on his neck. They hold his fingers so loosely though, and Kaname does not know if Zero wants to push him away or not.

"Zero?"

Zero does not hear him though. All he registers is the sudden way his neck tingles and throbs. The moment Kaname touches his neck, a weird jolt of awareness runs through him, like a droplet of water falling down and rippling the surface.

It's…strange.

He doesn't know how to explain it. It's like a switch clicked on, and all of his senses instinctively zero in towards Kaname. Like how Kaname is leaning in, stroking his skin gently, the thumb pressing ever so slightly, and the resulting goosebumps and tingles that those fingers leave in their wake.

Zero is acutely aware of every movement. His neck, especially that tattoo, are all parts of him that he does not want, does not like, other people touching and yet…he feels no deep-set unease or alarm running through him when Kaname goes and does just that.

At this distance, Kaname's presence feels inexplicably solid and tangible, like a familiar weight in his hand. There's something reassuring and comforting about it. Something deep and instinctual tugs at Zero, reassures him that this is fine. It's alright, safe, ok.

And the heartbeat he can faintly feel thrumming through Kaname's fingertips draws Zero in. He unconsciously leans in. Zero wonders why he finds it so captivating, why he wants to chase after the sense of ease that it sends through him.

Also, his neck feels incredibly sensitive, more than before even. He can feel his skin starting to heat up. It feels like all of his nerves have been suddenly relocated there, and all of them bunch up and tense, sending sharp tingles throughout his entire neck region.

His heartbeat quickens. Then, when Kaname only stops but doesn't pull away, Zero can then feel the heat from those fingers seeping into his skin, heat intermingling with electricity streaking through his blood.

The sensation that it leaves behind is unbearable. His neck feels so, so sensitive. Zero can almost feel the individual ridges, the soft pads of Kaname's fingertips resting so carelessly on his skin.

He bites back a moan. And as soon as Zero realizes what he has almost let slipped out, his eyes widen in realization before Zero tightens his fingers and pushes Kaname's hand away.

Kaname jerks back in surprise, but refrains from saying anything when he sees Zero flushing suddenly, lilac eyes open and panicked.

Zero swallows. He says haltingly, voice barely above a whisper, "I don't think…you should do that again."

Kaname widens his eyes briefly at that before he nods wordlessly. It is clear that he does not need to ask if Zero can feel the bond anymore.

He flexes his fingers idly at his side until they remind him of Zero's reaction and his own peculiar thoughts. Kaname stops and looks toward Zero, unsure what he should do now. "Zero…are you alright?"

A visibly discomforted expression crosses Zero's features before he shifts and says quickly, "Yes. I'm fine.…Don't you, uh, have to leave?"

Kaname looks like he wants to say something, but after a moment, he relaxes and thankfully understands Zero's plea for him to go. Kaname simply nods, and heads to leave out the door, though not without throwing another hesitant, silent look over his shoulder and making Zero completely aware of the sudden awkwardness in the room.

When the door finally closes with a click and dull thud, and Zero can hear Kaname's footsteps getting increasingly fainter, he finally slumps down in relief. He looks down unseeingly at his hands.

What-what just happened? Is that what the bond is supposed to do?

He can still feel that imprint of heat lingering on his skin, the lingering memory of soft pressure and warm flesh against his neck.

Zero immediately bolts up, cheeks burning once again at the odd, completely unwanted turn of thoughts.

No, no. What is he even thinking?

Fiasco. This whole thing is a fiasco. And he still understands _nothing_.

* * *

"Ah, waking up is dreadfully unpleasant." He deliberately stretches, reveling in the satisfying sound of bones cracking into place and muscles, still tender and new, straining in protest. He flexes his fingers and hums, pleased at the familiar feel of flesh and skin again.

 _His_ flesh and skin. There is nothing like the feeling of finally returning to his original form, his _true_ body.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a figure standing before him, silent and watchful. It does not surprise him; he had detected the presence as soon as the man had stepped in and started the ritual.

What does intrigue him is the man's peculiar aura. It feels human and reeks of anti-vampirism.

In one smooth gesture, he sits up and turns around, one leg drawn into his lap and the other tapping idly against the stone altar in the perfect image of nonchalance. His lips curve into a wicked smile. "What a surprise. For what purpose have you woken me up for, hunter?"

He tilts his head back, and remarks lazily, "Or has resurrecting purebloods become a new pastime for the Hunter Association? Are you running out of targets?"

As he talks, his eyes rove around his surrounding, expression flattening in further disinterest. Dark shadows writhe across the cracked walls, casting the entire room in blades of gray and black. There is a coolness, an earthiness that dampens the air. The typical thing one would expect from a mausoleum.

He glances back at the hunter and frowns slightly at the man's silence. "Answer me, hunter. How did you know I was here? How did you enter here for that matter?"

The man in question has a dark hood raised up, shading his eyes and shadowing a plain white mask that already conceals his face. In a brusque tone, the man only provides, "I have my ways."

It is all very cloak and dagger, literally even, when he notes the dark cloak that blurs the man's figure and the bloody engraved dagger in the man's gloved hand. Quite frankly, he is more annoyed with the triviality of it than wary. Still…How unexpected. He never thought a hunter would be the one to resurrect him.

The man continues, voice curt and clear. "You are Rido Kuran, correct?"

The question comes off more as an order. That coupled with the straight, stern posture gives the man a distinctly militaristic impression.

Rido smirks slightly, eyes gleaming in amusement. "I would hope you know who I am, or do you go around resurrecting purebloods at random?" His voice then drops ever so slightly, tone shifting, as he gives the man another curious look and demands more seriously, "Who are you?"

"That is none of your concern." The man then turns, clearly intent on exiting the room.

"Leaving already?" Rido lifts an eyebrow and is about to move forward when all of his limbs suddenly swing back in the opposite direction. He immediately tenses. There are invisible strings holding him in place, and he can sense an energy simmering in the air in front of him now. A barrier of some sort.

Tsk. How annoying.

The floor is already covered with countless circular glyphs scrawled in blood. The dark red seeps into the stone floor, blooming outwards from he is sitting like a crimson flower. He assumes that they are from the ritual used to wake him up, but now, there are two seals glowing in purple on the very platform that he is sitting on.

Anti-vampire seals.

This one seems to have quite considerable power. Not a lackey then. Perhaps, one of the higher ups.

He could break through this if he was at full strength. Unfortunately, the man had given only enough blood to resurrect his body and nothing more. A rather calculative move.

Interesting. And presumptuous.

He narrows his eyes. All of his previous amusement disappears in favor for a dangerous lilt in his voice, "What is this? Surely, you did not resurrect me only to seal me in here."

The man stops, but does not turn around. "Of course not. That would be a waste of both of our time. The seal will disappear soon. A half-hour at most."

"Oh?" Rido's smirk returns, and he remarks casually, "How gracious of you. Perhaps, I should return the favor." His smile sharpens. "But it seems like you want nothing from me."

The man pauses before he continues walking out, and his answer echoes through the room. "… Do what you always do. That is more than enough."

Rido is admittedly surprised by that answer, but the footsteps already echo far away from the entrance.

He looks contemplatively in that direction before he chuckles, the sound reverberating through the room, dark and mocking.

Do what he always does?

Oh, he understands. An invitation for him to inflict chaos, is it? His eyes flash in anticipation, and Rido laughs again, amused.

What a foolish human.

He can already see through the man's ploy, knows the strings that the man wants to pull.

But he is not anyone's puppet.

Whether or not that man thinks that his role in resurrecting him will act as a countermeasure against Rido himself does not matter.

Rido is havoc incarnate, and havoc spares no one.

The man will inevitably regret his decision to let Rido roam so freely. After all, the chess game he has been playing for all these years spans everything and everyone. The prospect of a new player only makes things more interesting.

Besides, he already has an idea of the man's true identity.

His smile widens into a razor sharp smirk, and his fingers twitch restlessly as he waits for the seal to wear off. He already has plans set into motion, but now that he has his own body back…

The possibilities are endless.

From here on, things can only be entertaining, and he cannot _wait_.


	4. Wrinkles are just ripples from the pebbles of our thoughts skipping through our minds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which there are burnt chocolate chip cookies, fangirls, guests who are RSVPing without an invite, and a sleep-deprived author.
> 
> I might have had too much fun writing this. Enjoy! ^^

 

Yagari sighs as he leans against the wallpaper. He brings the cigarette up and takes another long drag. The smoke rolls back in his throat into his lungs, lazy and heavy. The sensation buzzes through him until he exhales slowly out. Tendrils of white-gray smoke curl in the air, and the bitter tang of nicotine swirls idly in the room.

Yagari shifts his weight on the other foot and tilts his head back against the wall.

It's 2 o' clock in the afternoon, and one of these days he would like to spend his lunch break eating lunch for once.

Honestly, it's getting a little pathetic how lately most of his lunch breaks are turning out to be impromptu caffeine and smoking breaks. God knows his stomach is definitely not pleased with that.

He brings the cigarette up again and watches the cloud of vapor absentmindedly twist and fade when the door of the office swings open, and a very familiar voice is humming a tune very off-key.

Extremely off-key.

Yagari straightens up, heel pushing off against the wall. Finally.

Cross steps into his office, a cheerful bounce to his gait as always. He pauses, already noticing there is someone in the room. He shuffles what looks like a stack of notebooks under his arm before tilting his head to the side.

Slight surprise crosses his features before Cross smiles brightly.

"Toga? What a surprise!" Cross gestures to the large oak desk and the chairs with one hand. "Sit, sit! Here, I'll pour you some coffee. Oh, wait. Let me put down this paperwork. You know, you have such good timing. I just made cooki-"

He stops suddenly and sniffs the air before frowning in disapproval. Cross's eyes instantly focus on the cigarette dangling from Yagari's lips. Yagari can already hear the lecture before Cross can even say anything.

Yagari inwardly sighs and drops down carelessly in one of the armchairs.

As expected, Cross complains, "Put out that cigarette! Honestly. How many times do I have to tell that there is a no smoking policy on campus? Smoking is bad for your health. Not to mention the risks of second hand smoking. I won't have you endangering my precious students! Smoking is a real-"

"Yeah, yeah. Spare the lecture, will you?" Yagari grumbles but jabs the cigarette down on the clear glass cigarette tray on the desk regardless. "I'm in your office, not a classroom. Who exactly am I 'endangering' here?"

"Me! And my poor lungs!"

Yagari snorts. "I think your lungs can handle a little smoke." He nods towards Cross's outfit of bright blue slacks, a white collared shirt, and a deep gold vest with black zigzag lines. Complete, of course, with those absurd lion slippers. "My eyes, on the other hand hurt just by looking at you. You running a circus or a school here?"

Cross takes a moment to pour the coffee in the coffee cups before he registers the question. He answers cheerfully, "Bright colors make for a happy environment, Toga."

Yagari only lifts an eyebrow. "For interior décor, maybe." Not for wandering down the halls of an academy as the headmaster, he adds silently.

Cross looks back at him in amusement before he begins to amble back to the desk with a tray balanced precariously in one hand.

Yagari's eyes flick warily to the cups of coffee jostling each other, sliding up and down the tray. He cringes at the sharp sound of china tinkling against each other. The contents of the plate are also wobbling dangerously back and forth, almost careening off the tray and down onto the floor.

Cross, only Cross, can make serving coffee as nerve-wracking as a watching someone walk down a tightrope.

Cross, of course, looks perfectly unperturbed at the near accident in his hand. Hell, he's still holding the tray as if the thing is not at all tilting dangerously forward at a forty five degree angle.

Yagari sighs. By some miraculous act of defiance against gravity, nothing actually does fall and Cross plops down as carelessly as ever onto the leather chair.

"What's with that tight expression, Toga? If you frown so much all the time, you're going to get premature wrinkles," Cross comments candidly.

Yagari grumbles, irritated, "You're the cause of most of my stress, you know."

Cross ignores that and instead pushes forward a plate towards Yagari before resting his cheek against his propped hand, eyes suddenly expectant. "Here, have one."

Yagari blinks and peers down dubiously at the plate. There are misshapen blackened blobs of….something.

Something that definitely does not belong in anyone's stomach.

He questions suspiciously, "What are these?"

Cross beams at him. "Chocolate-chip cookies, of course." He raises an eyebrow curiously. "What did you think they were?"

"Chunks of coal," Yagari says bluntly. "I really hope you haven't been passing these to anyone."

"Why?"

Yagari's eyebrows knit in disbelief, "What do you mean why? These are charred black! How the hell are these even edible?"

Cross frowns and argues in a chiding tone, "They're not that bad. Don't be so harsh."

"Yeah, well, let me take a rain check on the food poisoning."

"Food poisoning? This was only the twentieth batch I made today!"

"Only?" Yagari pauses. "You…you really should not be allowed in the kitchen."

Cross looks immediately affronted. "I'll have you know I'm an excellent cook! You all simply don't understand the innovation and creativity of my cooking. I-"

"Just give me the coffee," Yagari interrupts, exasperated.

Cross frowns and much to Yagari's growing exasperation, continues his lamentation of the apparent under-appreciation of his culinary skills – or lack thereof- for at least another ten minutes before he finally places the cup of coffee in front of Yagari.

Oh, for Pete's sakes. Yagari bites his tongue though and instead reaches for the coffee. He raises an eyebrow at the tiny bright turquoise sharks decorating the rim of the white porcelain cup before sighing.

Of course, the silverware would be as eccentric as the man who owns it.

Yagari takes a careful sip, checking the temperature before he drains the entire cup in one go. He ignores Cross's appalled expression and instead revels in the way the liquid burns down his throat, both from the heat and the sharp, bitter smokiness of the coffee.

Thank god for caffeine.

Cross reaches out and grabs the coffee pot to refill the cup. With an overly self-satisfied expression already plastered on his face, he asks coyly, "It's good, isn't it?"

Yagari grumbles, "I take my coffee black. Even you can't mess that up."

Cross only smiles, eyes flashing in amusement. "Sure, sure."

Yagari has another retort on how this does nothing to prove Cross's imaginary culinary skills, but refrains from doing so. Instead, he lifts the cup and takes another sip of the coffee this time. "Mn."

Yagari kind of wishes that the coffee was in a mug instead of a cup for several reasons. One, it feels incredibly too dainty in his hand. And two, this holds nowhere near the amount of caffeine he needs to drive back the sleep deprivation.

Cross gives him another amused look before he flips through some of the files on his desk.

A comfortable silence eases into the room. The only sound is Cross's fountain pen scratching against the paper as it moves fluidly up and down. Yagari lets the silence carry on for a few more beats and takes another long sip before asking casually, "How's Zero?"

Cross continues annotating the document but smiles knowingly at the subtle concern in Yagari's voice. He chooses not to tease Toga on it, and instead laments rather dramatically, "Ah, Yuki-chan and I are so worried about him. Zero should confide in me more. I don't know why he doesn't. I'm an excellent confidante." He pouts. "So little consideration for his guardian."

At Yagari's impatient stare, Cross then elaborates, "Zero stays locked up in his room mostly. His teachers tell me that he hasn't attended class for a week now, but he still does his daily patrols. Though I suspect that's more out of consideration for Yuki-chan than anything."

He pauses and then admits, "I really do wish he would talk to someone though. It does no good to bottle up everything inside."

Yagari stays silent for a moment. Cross is, of course, worried about this than he lets on. Even if the man insists on regaling every unfortunate guest with theatrics straight out of Shakespeare's playbook.

Zero on the other hand…

He knows how stubborn the kid is. He's the type who never asks for help despite the situation, who shoulders on everything even when he doesn't have to. It's hard to admonish Zero for that when Yagari isn't exactly the most open or expressive person either. More so when the old guilt of not being there for Zero and Ichiru as the sensei that he should have been surfaces again.

Really, the whole thing makes Yagari feel older than he should be. It brings back the weariness that's getting a lot harder to shake off these days.

Yagari sighs and pushes those thoughts back. Looking at Cross, he says simply, "Zero's strong. He just needs time."

Cross nods, eyes meeting Yagari's briefly in understanding, before he abruptly suggests enthusiastically, "Ah, I know. I'll drop by and give Zero the cookies. That might cheer him up."

"Or make him stay in his room forever." Yagari remarks dryly.

Cross pouts and counters indignantly, "How mean. I'll have you know no one has died from my cooking yet. Not everyone is such a harsh critic like you."

"Whatever delusions you want to tell yourself, Cross."

Cross smiles and flips through another booklet, jotting down some more notes. "So what brings you here?"

Instead of answering, Yagari looks at him for a moment before asking, "Did you know that we have a new president now?"

Cross glances at Yagari's serious tone and questions, "You mean the president of the Hunter's Association?" At Yagari's terse nod, Cross makes a sound of surprise. "Oh. That's unexpected. I had no idea."

"I didn't hear about it either until I returned from my mission."

Mission? Cross frowns for a moment before he says in sudden recollection, "Oh, that's right. You were out of town for a month this time with Kaito-kun. How was it?"

Yagari shrugs. "The mission? Good. Just took so long because the town was out in the countryside. It's harder to track all of them down in the forest. Too much ground to cover, not to mention the crap ton of places to hide."

Cross hums. "Well, you two came back safe and sound, so that's good."

Yagari makes a noncommittal sound before he jerks his chin up impatiently, "Well? What do you think about it?"

Cross flips through the pages and asks idly, "About what?"

Yagari frowns and taps his fingers irritably on the desk. "Cross. The new president."

Cross gives him a sidelong glance. "I haven't met the man yet."

Yagari scowls. "Well, you will soon. This Friday. He's arriving to introduce himself to you."

Cross's pen sweeps across the page again as he initials another line or so. Without looking up, he comments loftily, "Isn't that a little unnecessary? I'm no one important."

Yagari's fingers drum on the desk again. He wants to scoff because that has to be the understatement of the year. Cross may have retired as a hunter, but the man's reputation still precedes him. In fact, it's part of why the Hunter Association had reluctantly accepted the existence of the academy.

Instead of saying any of that, however, Yagari merely says, "The president moves fast, doesn't he?"

Cross either does not catch or ignores Yagari's impatient tone because he answers flippantly, "I agree. I haven't even had time to send a congratulatory gift yet much less prepare for an introduction."

Yagari narrows his eye in irritation. "Cross."

"Yes?" Cross still does not look up, and Yagari's fingers twitch to snatch away whatever damned document he's scribbling on so avidly.

Yagari frowns again before he asserts, "I don't like this guy."

At that, Cross pauses and finally looks up, amused. "Toga, you didn't like the last president either."

Exasperation crosses Yagari's face, and he scowls, "Well, of course, I didn't. You didn't either. The guy always looked like he would rather be in some tea ceremony than running the association. He did not even show his face more than once a year, _if that_ , and even when he did, it was stupidly pointless."

Cross reaches for yet another pamphlet and offers, "Perhaps he retired?"

Yagari snorts in utter derision, "Sure, and maybe pigs fly. You know what our last president was like. Despite his flowery appearance, he had that position for more than a few decades now."

Cross glances at him and asks curiously, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that there is no way he would give up his office that easily. And besides, though they tell me that he voluntarily stepped down, no one has seen him ever since his supposed resignation."

At that, Cross stills and places his pen down, hazel eyes serious and thoughtful for once. "That does sound suspicious. You don't suppose someone forced him to step down, do you?"

"The man disappeared, and now, we have a convenient new president." Yagari stares meaningfully at Cross and retorts, "What do you think?"

Cross's eyebrows dip in contemplation. "But who would have the power to? The president was a capable hunter himself. Furthermore, all of the members on the executive board were his allies."

Yagari leans back in his chair. "Actually, some of the former board members are unaccounted for."

"Unaccounted for? Former?" Cross echoes.

"Several of them say that they're resigning to cast over the reins to the new leader and his administration." Yagari scoffs derisively, unconvinced. "Which is bullshit because all of those senile idiots are as stubborn and ambitious as the next. They're all more politicians than hunters, if you ask me. And the others had apparently handed in their resignation letters at the same time the former president did as well."

Yagari shrugs, "Of course, those are all the ones that are all apparently out of the country right now or enjoying retirement and would not like to be bothered."

"No one questioned this?" Cross asks, alarmed.

Yagari taps his fingers on the armchair. "No. There's been an increase in Level E activity lately, so a lot of hunters are out in the field. Besides, the new president replaced the entire board with a whole group of hunters I've never seen before. All loyal to him."

Cross breaks in sharply, "Who is the new president?"

"Masato Takenaka."

Cross furrows his eyebrows. "I don't…know that name. He never was on the board, is he? Was he in charge of any departments?"

Yagari explains, "The department he leads won't be on paper. Rumor has it that he's the one who ran the Strategic Security and Response Committee."

Cross frowns. "Didn't that department end after the last war? It was decided that after agreeing to the truce, such militaristic and covert approaches were no longer needed."

"You know what agreeing to a truce means, Cross. Hell, we re-sign that parchment every decade and all it means is that both sides agree not to overtly fight each other. We kick each other's feet under the table instead of punching each other in the face." He shrugs and continues, "Besides, I hear that that committee was known to go rogue, even when it was official."

Yagari scoffs. "Although, I'm sure it's not like they didn't have support from above. The board and the president had to have known. Probably allowed them to operate even. We have a disturbing amount of 'unofficial missions' on the side, after all, and who the hell knows what else."

"I see." Cross glances at him and says thoughtfully, "So they fed a dog that bit them in the end."

"A wolf is more like it." Yagari comments. He frowns before continuing seriously, "A stricter training regimen has been put into place. People are getting antsy down at headquarters. I don't know what the hell the new president is up to, but it definitely isn't anything good."

"Hmm." Cross taps his pen against the pamphlet, frowning. "The man is not visiting me just to introduce himself, is he?"

Yagari narrows his eye. "The whole charade is a probably an excuse to test you."

"Test me?" Cross repeats, perplexed.

"The new president wants to keep an eye on the school. Or to more exact, he wants to assign some hunters to the night class."

Cross pauses, eyebrows drawn together. Keeping an eye on the school? He would have remind himself to investigate this new president more thoroughly. If what Toga said is true, it is only a matter of time before the balance of power shifts, and things can spiral out of control very easily.

Yagari notes the sudden sharp, resolute expression that gleams in Cross's eyes and sharpens his features. The expression quickly fades away though when Cross turns to him and asks curiously, "How do you know this? Didn't you say you just got back?"

"Because I've been reassigned." Yagari smirks and continues nonchalantly. "So, Cross, you have a position available?"

Cross widens his eyes briefly before he chuckles. "Did you plan this?"

Yagari rolls his eyes and complains, "As if I have time scheming to give myself more work. Assigning me and Kaito this shit to do when we were just done with a job. Am I the only hunter working?" He sighs and leans back in his chair. "The president doesn't seem to know that we're on good terms, but hell if I know what the man is thinking."

Yagari sighs and looks up to see Cross staring back at him, eyes dancing with mirth and lips curving in a smug smile. He narrows his eyes, already vexed at the expression, and grouses, "What?"

Cross suppresses another laugh and teases, "You do care!"

Yagari looks at him flatly. "Shut up. Didn't I just say that I had nothing to do with this? Just consider this a courtesy heads-up."

Cross answers, lips twitching in another smile as he says slyly, "But you accepted the job, didn't you?"

Yagari glares at him. "You-"

Cross continues on, eyes still flashing with too much amusement for Yagari's liking. He looks back down on the document in front of him and declares airily, "It looks like Friday will be even busier then. Well, you know what they say, the more the merrier."

Yagari lifts an eyebrow. "Busier?"

Cross hums again and initials some more lines without looking up. "You know, Kaname-kun informed me on Friday that a couple of members from the Vampire Council will be meeting him on Friday."

Yagari narrows his eyes and asks warily, "At the academy?"

Cross shrugs. "They insisted. They still are investigating Shizuka's death."

"And you couldn't refuse them?" Yagari asks, voice deep with disapproval.

"Well, I can't do that, now can I?" Cross says casually.

He continues, but Yagari catches the slight tension in his shoulders and displeasure underlying his tone. "Although, I would prefer if everyone left the academy alone. Education is important, after all. Adults should know better than to let their issues interfere with the studies of the younger generation."

Yagari chooses not to comment on that. Instead, with eyes still gauging Cross's reaction, Yagari remarks, "You sure it isn't Kuran himself pulling something?"

Cross looks up and admonishes, "Of course not. He isn't happy with this either. Really, now. Why are you always so suspicious towards him?"

Yagari scowls-this whole thing is starting to look more troublesome- and counters sharply, "It isn't out of the question. The whole thing with Shizuka has his fingerprints all over it."

Cross frowns and looks reproachfully at him. "Toga."

Yagari returns the look with an exasperated stare of his own. Kuran's name always comes up when mysterious circumstances and less than favorable situations come up at the school. The kid is dangerous, and he has no idea why Cross always defends him.

Yagari bites his tongue though. Cross would undoubtedly tell him that he's being paranoid, and of course, Kaname-kun would show up at those times since he's the leader of the Night Class, and so on.

Sometimes he wonders just how is it that Cross has kept this academy running for as long as it has.

He sighs. "Fine then. What about this meeting though? You think it's on purpose? That both sides knew about it? Because I sure as hell don't believe in coincidences."

Cross looks thoughtful and hums, "I can't say. We'll just have to see how things go, I suppose." He pauses before smiling again. "Now, why don't we discuss your new teaching job?"

"Fine, I- Wait, a minute. Who said I'll accept a teaching job?"

Cross lifts an eyebrow, and Yagari is immediately irritated by the amusement in his tone. "You wanted a position, did you not?"

He retorts, "That doesn't mean I want to teach!"

Cross suppresses a grin, and starts slowly, "What did you think a position meant?"

Yagari's eye twitches at Cross's accommodating tone. As if _he's_ the one being humored right now. There's only one lunatic in the room right now, and it's not him. "I don't know. Make me one of those guidance counselors that no one ever goes to."

Cross only smiles brightly and waves a hand dismissively in the air. "Now, now. With that attitude, none of your students will like you."

Yagari says flatly, "I don't want them to." He scowls, fingers tapping the armchair restlessly. "What the hell would I even be teaching?"

Cross makes a show of flipping through the documents on his desk before he pulls out a booklet. He opens the booklet and runs his finger down the page but not without glancing mischievously at Yagari first.

Yagari's eye twitches even more. Five more seconds. Five more seconds, and he'll throttle him right there.

Cross ignores Yagari's increasingly darkening impression, and takes his time to drawl, "Hmm, well, our art teacher resigned. You could-"

"No." Yagari scowls, and the resolute tone of his voice brooks no argument.

Cross hides a smirk, and wisely moves on. He glances at Yagari once more before scrolling down his list. "Hmm, I guess Kaito-kun can take that position then…You can…let's see …teach…ethics."

"Ethics?" Yagari grimaces. He doesn't even know what that class is supposed to entail. Is he supposed to teach a group of bloodsuckers how to be upstanding citizens? Tell them to help the elderly and don't shoplift? Don't bite non-suspecting individuals in the middle of the night?

….A hunter teaching a class of vampires. Well, isn't that sadistic irony at its best?

Cross sees the doubt on Yagari face and proposes, a playful lilt in his voice. "Well, if you don't want a teaching position, the only other job open is a position in the infirmary for the night class."

Yagari pauses and looks skeptically at Cross. "…do they even need an infirmary?"

"Of course! I take the safety of every single one of my students very seriously."

"Funny how you say that and yet you're more than happy to assign me to your precious Night Class. You're delusional. There's no way that this is going to go well." Yagari grumbles. He sighs and says resignedly, "I'll take ethics."

"Great!" Cross hums in satisfaction and starts writing in the booklet. Yagari narrows his eyes. There's a wide grin on Cross's face that looks entirely too self-satisfied…

"Wait, Toga! What are you doing?" Cross yelps, fingers scrabbling to grab the booklet back from Yagari's hands. Yagari wrenches the booklet away from him and stands up before Cross can lean over the desk. "Toga!"

"You're bullshitting me, aren't you? Those can't be the only positions available!"

* * *

Yuki frowns. It's so gloomy out today. She squints to look up at the sky and notes that just like yesterday, the sky is still a smooth white tinged with grey clouds.

It doesn't look like it would rain again like it did last Friday, but sunny weather is definitely not going to be in the forecast for this week.

She pauses. Well, they _are_ entering rainy season. Maybe that's why the weather looks so dreary.

It does absolutely nothing to cheer her up though. It's rather a sad reflection of what she feels right now.

Yuki sighs and bites her lip. Is Zero ok? Did Kaname talk to him?

She feels so useless right now. Zero has always been there for her, but she has no idea what she is supposed to do now.

It's so frustrating and the feeling of helplessness once more wraps around her, smothering in its heaviness.

She hates it.

She hates how she can't do anything right now. She hates how others, already carrying a mountain of worries and pains that she has never climbed before, can take on her burdens so willingly. Her shoulders, on the other hand, feel shamefully light.

It's not okay. She does not want to rely on others so much. She wants to be reliable enough that she can support others too.

Yuki frowns again. She doesn't know what to do with Zero.

There is only a door between them and yet Yuki feels like they might as well be worlds apart. The thought is a needle that pricks her with an inexplicable sense of pain and sorrow. Zero always tells her they're from very different worlds, and that for her own good, she should leave him alone.

He says things like she does not understand the very real danger that he poses; that it would be best if she would just forget about him and leave him to his fate.

Yuki swallows hard. She hates it whenever Zero says that to her, whenever he talks about himself like that. It's not right. Yuki doesn't know why Zero can say those words when she can see the sorrow and pain in his eyes so easily. She doesn't know why Zero keeps calling himself a monster when there's a gentleness, a goodness in him that begs to differ.

Zero is the one she always complains to, whines to, shares her worries and insecurities with, jokes around with, argues with, and rants to.

He is her best friend, her family.

She clenches her fingers and stares unseeingly down at the pavement. Even if Zero tells her to abandon him, even if everyone else has given up on him, even if Zero himself has too, she won't. She never will.

But…but it's so hard to make Zero understand that.

Ever since Zero's bloodthirst became difficult to handle, he has become more distant with her. He had always looked so torn, so guilty every time she forced him to take blood from her. And even if it was selfish of her, it was her decision, the choice she made of her own free will, and she does not regret it.

He keeps shutting her out now, and - and it's so frustrating. He won't tell her anything about what's he feeling, what's bothering him - all the more important things - anymore and avoids the topic whenever she mentions it to him.

She…she cannot even begin to imagine the pain Zero must be feeling right now. She knows that. And it makes her hesitant to approach Zero because it feels arrogant of her to try to cheer him up when she hasn't endured anything like that.

How can she begin to even understand what Zero is going through then?

Yuki doesn't know what to do, and the more she fumbles for the words that aren't coming, the more of a distance she unintentionally puts between them. She does not want to make light of the situation, but everything she comes up with seems so trivial to her.

It is times like these that Yuki wishes she could be less clumsy and have the eloquence to express her feelings in words that would reach Zero.

She just wants Zero to be happy. And maybe it really is naïve of her, but Yuki believes that can happen.

Yuki sighs heavily. She'll go and visit Zero again after the class changeover today. And if Zero still refuses to come out, then…then…well, then she'll stage an intervention or something. She needs to do something- she has to - and if she needs to drag Zero out by force, then well… that's that.

She should probably ask the headmaster to come too. That way, Zero might-

"Huh?" Yuki immediately blinks, jerking her head up as something suddenly flicks her in the forehead- and out of her thoughts. There is a twinge of pain that fades as quickly it comes, but she still brings her hand up to her forehead before peering up to see what hit her. "…Yori-chan?"

Yori tilts her head and gently pokes Yuki again. "What's with that miserable look on your face? You know frowning a lot can give you premature wrinkles."

Yuki smiles slightly at that. "Really?"

Yori shrugs. "I don't know."

Yuki shakes her head before she has to giggle at that. "Yori-chan…"

Yori's lips twitch at the sound of Yuki's laughter before she laughs as well. When the both of them calm down, she asks lightly. "You're worrying about Kiryu-kun again, aren't you?"

Yuki hesitates, but at Yori's knowing gaze, she sighs and admits, "I can't help it. He didn't come to class either today. He won't come out of his room. And even though I asked Kaname-senpai to talk to him…I don't know… I think I made things worse." She frowns and asks more quietly, "What do I do?"

Yori blinks at Yuki's frazzled expression, and her eyebrows dip down in concern. She is about to reassure Yuki before her eyes catch something behind Yuki.

Or rather someone. A certain someone with familiar silver hair.

Her eyes widen in recognition before she smiles gently. "It'll be fine."

Yuki bites her lips. "How can you be sure?"

To her confusion, Yori smiles again and points. "Look behind you."

Behind? What is Yori saying? Her eyebrows furrow and Yuki turns her head around to glance behind. Her eyes immediately widen, and she whispers incredulously, "Zero?"

Yuki blinks, unable to believe her eyes, but it is Zero. No one else has that color of hair and he's walking towards them in his usual uniform.

…Er, well, sort of. It does not seem like he noticed that she and Yori are sitting here, even if he's walking in their same general direction.

Yuki raises her eyebrows. Actually… Zero is not even looking at where he's going either. Instead, his eyes are narrowed and he is peering at his hand with the strangest expression Yuki has ever seen on him.

…which is odd to say the least. But, it doesn't matter. Zero is finally out of his room for something other than patrolling, and that means everything to Yuki.

Yuki's face immediately breaks out in a smile, thrilled and relieved all at once. She waves her hands and calls out happily, "Zero!"

Zero jolts slightly in surprise at her yell before he lifts his head up and stares at them. He looks hesitant for a moment before he strides over to them. Nodding shortly to Yori, he then turns to Yuki and says quietly, "Hey."

Yuki can't help it, but she's just so happy, relieved. Her lips involuntarily curve into a smile. Her eyes quickly scan Zero's face. He looks tired, a little stressed, but he's ok, and the dark, tangled ball of yarn sitting in her stomach all week finally starts to unravel.

She gazes at him with wide brown eyes, and says a little breathlessly, "You came."

Zero shifts a little, but nods again in acknowledgement. "Yeah."

She bites her lips. There are those one-word answers again, and Zero… doesn't seem any different than he is during patrolling. Did she get her hopes up too early?

More concerned now, Yuki asks hesitantly, "Are you…alright? Yori and I could take care of the class crossover. Really."

Yori nods and smiles reassuringly at Zero. "Yes. I don't mind helping Yuki."

Zero rubs the back of his neck before he says carefully, "Thanks. Sorry for worrying you guys, but it's… fine."

The answer does not quite reassure Yuki, but Zero does not look like he's lying. He's actually somewhat less tense than before, so that's a good sign, right?

She says slowly, "…if you say so."

Yori, capable as ever, deftly switches topics and asks casually, "Will you be coming back to class tomorrow then?"

Yuki blinks and holds her breath as she waits for Zero to answer.

"Yeah."

Yori smiles. "Good. I'm glad to hear that." She pauses and adds, "Oh, Kiryu-kun, if you want, I can give you the notes we took last week."

Zero still looks a little uncomfortable, but he nods his head. "Sure. I don't know how else I would get them."

Yuki, more relaxed now, objects, "Hey! I took notes too."

To both of the girls' relief and satisfaction, Zero snorts and complains, "Notes that only you can understand."

Yuki smiles, happy to fall back into their usual banter, and Yori even more so to hear it. Yuki stands up and pokes at him. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean? I take great notes."

Zero says dismissively as he starts to walk over to the entrance. "Yeah, yeah. Last time I asked for your math notes, there were endless pandas scrawled in the margins. Exactly what kind of calculus were you doing?"

Yuki and Yori grin at each before they hurry after him.

Yori nods and says teasingly, "Yup, I asked Yuki for notes for biology once, and all I saw was a rainbow all over the page. For a minute, I thought she gave me her art assignment by accident before I realized it was just highlighter."

Yuki immediately pouts. "Yori! Whose side are you on?"

Yuki glances out of the corner of her eye and catches Zero looking amused now. She smiles inwardly. She missed this: the trivial banter, the comfortable ease between them. And even if it is rather trivial and this doesn't automatically erase all of her worries or mean that Zero is no longer troubled, Yuki is still relieved. It's a step in the right direction, and she'll take it.

"-ou won't imagine the number of times I've caught her sleeping in class, Kiryu-kun. Look even now, she's daydreaming again."

Yuki blinks and protests, "I am not!"

Zero smirks. "I can. Can you imagine the number of times she's slept through her alarm?"

"Hey! It's not my fault I'm a heavy sleeper." She reaches out and pinches his arm. "At least I don't go through a new alarm clock every month like a certain someone."

Zero immediately grumbles about how that's not his fault if manufacturers these days designed such flimsy devices and how no one likes hearing alarm clocks. It's got to be the universal sound that makes everyone cringe, and of course, any normal person's first reaction would be to slam the thing and turn off the goddamn racket. Companies should plan for this thing in the first place.

Yuki hides a grin and thinks that it wouldn't be so bad if things could be like this every day. Yes, she definitely missed this.

* * *

Zero glances sideways at Yuki, who's chatting animatedly with Yori about some animated show. He smiles softly when she laughs warmly when Yori makes a comment about one of the characters.

Yuki looks a lot more relaxed now, and he's glad. He could tell she's been so worried every time they went patrolling last week, and knowing that he caused her to feel that way had made him feel a little guilty.

Zero sighs and looks down at his hand again. There's a scar on his palm, where the shard of glass had dug in, but the line is a faint pink. Zero can already tell that it's going to disappear altogether in a few more days.

The things that it reminds him of will not, however.

Damn it. He still doesn't know what he's supposed to do now.

When Kaname had left on Saturday, he had spent the rest of that day and the next doing anything possible to distract him. Cleaning his room, doing laundry, sorting out his closet, rearranging his books, rereading every single one of them...

Seriously. Anything that could extend his self-denial, he did.

Actually, it was more out of a need to get out of his room than anything that had him coming to oversee the class changeover today.

Zero inwardly groans. He can't take this anymore.

Every time he thinks about it, about what happened on Friday, about their conversation afterwards, he's overcome with mortification. He just e doesn't want to deal with it. Of course, every time he tries distracting himself, it only makes him feel more restless and his mind stubbornly returns back to the issue.

It's annoying. Even more so when Zero can't seem to shake off the anxiousness that set in when he woke up today. He doesn't know if it's because of some weird side effect of the bond, or if he's just driving himself nuts with his own thoughts.

Knowing his luck, it's probably both.

He's not sure if he can feel the bond right now exactly, but that's probably more because Zero is still trying not to think about it.

Again, self-denial at its best. Which, Zero thinks sarcastically to himself, can last only so long.

Yuki suddenly sighs next to him, and Zero immediately focuses back on the conversation. She exchanges a look with Yuri, and suddenly, both girls sigh.

Zero raises an eyebrow, "What?"

Yuki purses her lips and points forward. Zero's eyes travel to where she's pointing to before he blinks unhappily. There is literally a mob of girls swarming the entrance, chattering excitedly with each other like a horde of bees buzzing around the courtyard.

Great. He doesn't do his duties as a guardian for one week, and suddenly, everyone thinks that it's ok to be as annoying as possible. Sometimes he wonders if the girls attend the academy for their studies or for the chance to show off their fervor as fans.

Zero grumbles under his breath, eyes already narrowing in a vexed expression. "Damn. I did not miss this." He takes a deep breath before he says flatly and in a louder voice, "Oi. All of you. Step away."

Some of the girls that are the closest to him immediately pause and look at him with wide eyes, no doubt surprised that he's back. The others, however, don't hear him and continue to talk as loudly as ever.

This has to be the worst part of being a guardian. How a mob of adolescent girls is more alarming than a group of Level E's, he will never know.

Zero tenses and Yuki and Yori, already knowing what would happen next, immediately take a step away and cringes in preparation. Zero narrows his eyes and yells, "I said move aside!"

His voice carries over the area, and everyone immediately stills before all of them start whispering.

"Oh, no. Kiryu-kun is back."

"What? Why?"

"Things were going so well earlier this past week."

"Right?"

"Damn it. Why couldn't he take another a week off?"

"Yuki-chan was so much easier to deal with."

Zero rolls his eyes at the comments and is about to yell at them again to clear the area before he loses his temper when all of a sudden, everyone is quiet again. Zero raises an eyebrow, and he looks around warily. "What?"

Someone suddenly shrieks, a high pitched wail that has Zero cringing. God, what the hell is that? A clowder of cats whining in the midst of a flock of seagulls?

To his complete bewilderment, as if that extremely grating yell was the signal, all of the girls start running and scattering to various places, like behind the columns, the archways, the hedges, the planters ….all of which are all around or in front of the entrance of the building.

Zero's eye twitches. "Are…you guys playing hide and seek now?"

A girl with a long side braid yells out with a grin. "It's a new strategy!"

Zero balks at that before he yells, incredulous, "Strategy? You shouldn't even have a strategy for this! Save your brain cells for things that count, you idiot!"

"Hey! That was uncalled for!"

"That's because you're so cruel to us!"

"Yes! It's your fault we had to resort to this!"

Zero glowers at all of them. Why the hell are all the students here so bat-shit crazy?

Yuki shifts nervously behind him before tugging at his sleeve. She whispers, "Calm down, Zero."

Zero ignores her, and he's about to walk forward and corral all of the idiots when Yuki tugs him back. He glares at them, and says, irritated. "Yuki, let go already. And as for you guys, I can see all of you. You know that, right?"

All of the girls exchange a look with each other before they shrug.

Someone calls out, "We don't care!"

"Yes! This is a revolution!"

That is accompanied by the whole insane lot clapping their hands in agreement.

Zero looks incredulously at all of them. Is this actually happening? He retorts, "A revolution in what? Stalking?"

"We don't care what you say! You can't get rid of us this time!"

"I'll give all of you idiots detention if you guys don't start clearing the walkway!" he threatens, narrowing his eyes.

At that, several of the girls nervously start shuffling away to the side. They're still in the vicinity but at least they're not storming the entrance or clogging up the aisle, so Zero will take what he can get.

The others, on the other hand, are….

"You can't do that!"

"Yeah, how are you going to give us all detention?"

Zero's eye twitches again, and that's it. He's about to stride forward when Yuki tugs at his sleeve again, harder this time just when he's about to pivot around.

The movement wrenches his blazer and collared shirt to a side - he didn't care enough to do his tie properly today - and Yori suddenly squints at Zero's exposed neck before Zero hisses, "Yuki! What are you doing?"

Yuki instantly looks sheepish and lets go of him. "Sorry!"

He grumbles under his breath and tugs his blazer back on his shoulder before it slips off. Zero then turns back to the rest of the girls, and says again, tone darkening. "Don't make me go through this again. Clear the walkway and the aisle before I manually do it for you."

Yori tilts her head. His collared shirt is still skewed to the side, and she can see something red on the exposed side of his neck. "Kiryu-kun? There's something on your neck."

He's arguing with another group of girls to his right before they huff in irritation and move with obvious reluctance under the overhang of the side hallways. God, they're all crazy. What kind of students are Cross even accepting to this school? Anyone?

It takes a moment for him to register Yori's question and he asks distractedly as he spies yet another group of girls shuffling behind the planters as if they're not at all exposed. "What?"

Idiots. The whole lot of them are idiots.

Yori shuffles closer to him and points to his neck. "Over here."

At that, Yuki also moves closer to him in curiosity, peering at the aforementioned area. "Oh, hey. She's right. Your skin looks red there. Hmm, a bug bite?"

Yori questions, "Is it a bug bite?"

Zero shrugs. "I don't know. It's fine. It doesn't hurt so- Hey, you there. Yeah, you with the red headba-I can _see_ you behind the goddamned pillar. Move. Now. Unless you _want_ me to assign you detention for the next month."

Yuki furrows her eyebrows. "Wait, you have another one."

Zero growls, "Yeah, I know. I can see her behind the bench. I said, move. You can gawk at those idiots all you want. Just stay clear of the aisle and the entrance. How many times do I have to say it?!"

"Mean."

"So rude."

"Stingy."

"Meanie."

"Bully."

Zero glares at all of them again. "Do I need to repeat myself?" He turns and stares at a girl with a high, pulled back ponytail and a yellow ribbon, squatting behind the planter. Zero looks at her exasperatedly, "Move or I'll come over there."

The girl pouts before she stands up and moves to rejoin her group of friends standing under the archway in front of Zero.

Yuki then says, more insistently. "No, it's another bug bite. Zero, how did you not notice them?"

Zero blinks, finally registering Yuki's comment. "Wait, what?"

Yori nods and adds, "Kiryu-kun, maybe you have bed bugs."

The girl, who he had just yelled at, stops in the middle of her walk over to the archway when she hears Yuki. To his surprise and complete discomfort, she skips over and leans in to scan Zero's neck interestedly. She shakes her head, and with a cheeky grin on her face, quips, "Nah. That's not a bed bug. That's definitely a hickey."

Baffled, Zero blinks at her, his mind not at all processing any of her words. "A what?"

The girl nods confidently. "Mmn. Yup. A hickey."

And just like that, the entire area is quiet again before all of the girls immediately erupt in excited giggles and chatting. And to his dread, they all start moving towards him.

Zero widens his eyes. "Oi, what the hell are all of you guys doing?"

"Kiryu-kun has a what? A hickey?"

"Wait, he has a girlfriend?"

A girl with dark short bobbed hair leans forward and widens her eyes. "Hey, wait a minute. Is that why you missed class all week?"

The girl next to her immediately sighs dreamily. "Ah, that's so romantic. Skipping class to spend time with your girlfriend…."

His what?

Zero blinks uncomprehendingly at them. He has no idea why they're all interested in his- what did Yuki say again? Bug bite? - and he really, really does not get why they have to invade his personal space to do it either.

He frowns. "Hah? What the hell are you talking about? And why are you all over here now?"

Another girl with two long braids hums and completely ignores him. "Oh? Is that it? Does she go to another school, Kiryu-kun?"

Zero looks at her and makes a face. "No, that's not what I said. At all. Are you all deaf?"

None of them listen to him, of course. Zero scowls. This is so annoying. He shouldn't have gone to class crossover today. Should have just let Yuki and Yori deal with this. How the heck have those two been dealing with these idiots all week?

Are the girls trying to do this on purpose? Is this some stupid strategy to distract him or something?

…because it's working. He's definitely convinced that they're all lunatics well beyond any professional help.

Yuki breaks in and tries to convince them, "No, wait guys. It's just a bug bite."

The girl with the ponytail again clucks her tongue and shakes her head. "You're too naïve, Yuki-chan."

"Wow. A long-distance relationship."

The girl with the side braid grins. "Hey, despite how you act, you're pretty mature, Zero-kun."

To his growing alarm, the girls press closer, and one of them leans in way too close to peer at his neck.

Zero tries to step away, but another sidles up to his side. He grits out, lilac eyes flashing with irritation. "Oi. What the heck are you guys doing? Back off."

A girl with curly black hair widens her eyes. "Ooh, wait, you have more than one?"

He grimaces. Goddamn it, what is wrong with all of them? And what the hell are they even blabbing about? Hickeys? Bed bugs? Girlfriend? What the fuck?

Before he could think or say anything more, a girl to his left giggles and has a hand covering her mouth. "So scandalous."

The girl next to her twirls one of her pigtails with her finger and grins mischievously, singing out, "Sneaking off to see your lover maybe ~?"

He widens his eyes. Wait, it can't be…did he have marks from - from what happened on Friday? No way. That can't be -

Zero stiffens in alarm when the girl with the side braid leans in as well and says impatiently, "Out with it! Come on, Kiryu-kun. Just tell us. Oh, wait. Is it really someone that goes here then?"

"No way. Really?"

"Oh, my god. Secret lover?"

"Come on, tell us."

"Yes. Don't be shy."

"Love isn't anything you should be ashamed about!"

Shit. Oh, shit. How on earth could he have missed that?

Zero frowns and tries to push his way through, but they're still students. And girls at that. He can't exactly go shoving all of them to the ground. No matter how much they're getting on his nerves.

Crap. Crap. Crap. He has a hickey? Oh god. This can't be happening.

Another girl hums and looks at him for a moment before she giggles. She leans forward, green eyes gleaming in amusement, and says slyly, "Or could it be that this is your first time?"

His eyes widen briefly before he realizes his mistake. "Don't put words in my mouth!" The girls only exchange another look with each other, and when some of them glance towards his neck again, he stiffens and slaps a hand to his neck to cover it. "Stop it!"

"You're blushing."

"Oh my god. This is so adorable."

"He's so cute like this."

"Totally. You know, Kiryu-kun, if you were like this more often, you'd be more popular."

"Agreed."

Zero gives them another appalled look before his eye twitches again. Out. He needs to get out before he loses it. He hisses behind him, "Yuki, do something before I lose my shit."

Yuki nods before she stops, completely bewildered. "U-um, what should I be doing?"

Zero is about to start yelling because screw it, he's done with everything and everyone when he senses that the Night Class has arrived. For once, he is actually relieved to see them. Maybe now all of these idiots will be distracted enough to leave him alone.

* * *

Hanabusa immediately spots Zero and notes with surprise. "Oh, hey! It looks like Kiryu is back." He pauses, takes in the gaggle of girls and says bewildered, "Huh, the girls are all surrounding him."

Besides him, Akatsuki comments, "Well, that doesn't usually happen. He sure doesn't look happy."

Takuma takes in the situation for a moment before he suggests a little worriedly, "Should we go help him?"

Ruka raises a slim eyebrow, lips curving in a smirk. "Why? I'm enjoying this."

Takuma pauses and gives Ruka an exasperated look. "Ruka…"

Shiki munches on a pocky stick before he says blithely, "I feel sorry for him." Rima nods in silent agreement.

Aido grins and immediately starts to make his way towards Zero. Takuma looks at him quizzically and asks, "Aido, what are you doing?"

"Helping, of course. Isn't that what you said?"

"I'm not sure your definition of help is the one I have in mind," Takuma starts slowly.

Aido only shrugs before he ambles over there with a decidedly amused smirk on his face. Takuma sighs, and after looking pointedly at Kain, Kain also sighs as well before following after his cousin.

* * *

Whatever relief Zero felt immediately disappears when even after some definitely not so subtle hinting from Yori and Yuki, the girls still refuse to move.

Which he cannot, for the life of him, understand. Why the hell are they all so interested in this? Didn't they line up to see all of those idiots?

Zero's irritation bubbles dangerously through his veins when some of the girls start squealing and giggling before the crowd parts to let Aido through, who is then of course, followed by Kain.

Great. Just what he needs. More idiots.

He glowers darkly at them. "What are you two doing?"

Kain only sighs and jabs his thumb at Aido.

Aido shrugs and with a smile too wide to be sincere, says. "Helping, of course." He adds, blue eyes gleaming with far too much amusement, "Although, when did our lovely female students become so much of a problem for you? Are you slacking off as a guardian?"

Zero seethes. "Aido. I'm going to count to one. And if you don't get the fuck out by then, I'll _helpfully_ escort you out."

The dumbass clearly has no preservation for his life because he goes on to say innocently, "I'm just trying to help. You don't need to be so violent." Aido turns to one of the girls next to him and smiles charmingly at her, "So is there anything I can help you with?"

The girl immediately giggles, blushing at Aido, and someone squeals again before all of them start launching into their very skewed interpretations of the marks on Zero's neck.

Crazy. They're all bloody crazy.

And that idiot isn't helping for shit. Birds of a feather flock together, and clearly Aido belongs in the loony bin with the whole lot of them.

Done. He's so done. Zero cracks his knuckles and is about to wipe that infuriating smirk off Aido's face when Yuki grabs his arm. Again.

He growls, "Yuki. Let go now."

"Zero! You can't hit him!" Yuki whispers-yells at him, fingers coming to tug at his sleeve again anxiously.

Exasperated, Zero hisses, "Why the hell shouldn't I? The idiot is making things worse." He glances at her and adds, "And stop pulling my sleeve."

Yuki widens her eyes briefly, no doubt remembering how this whole thing started, and immediately lets go. She still looks at him though and repeats more firmly, "You can't hit him. He's a student."

Zero mutters angrily, "Too late. The asshole asked for it when he walked over here."

Kain takes that moment to ask curiously, "Why do you have a hand over your neck?"

Zero and Yuki both stop bickering for a second to turn to blink at him.

Yuki stutters, "Um. Well, there's…it's-"

"None of your business. Get out if you're not going to do anything about this." Zero scowls and continues warningly, "I'm already pissed off. So drag that stupid cousin of yours out too before I completely lose it and you find yourself one short of an idiot."

Akatsuki blinks at the sharp vexation in Zero's tone, and decides not to push the issue. Zero really does look like he's going to kill someone. Well, more than usual, anyhow. And besides, they always say that curiosity killed the cat.

He sighs instead and looks toward Hanabusa who's still chatting cheerfully with the girls. Hanabusa really needs to have more preservation of his life. Honestly.

This whole thing looks far more troublesome than he cares for it to be. And seriously, why is he the one who always has to do this?

Akatsuki is about to walk up and grab Hanabusa before he makes things more of a mess when there's suddenly a crescendo of excited murmurs and suddenly, some of the girls are declaring loudly:

"Kiryu-kun has a secret lover!"

"It's so cute!"

"It's true! We saw the hickey on his neck."

" _Hickeys_ , remember?"

Akatsuki pauses and turns back to raise an eyebrow in surprise. Yuki and Yori silently shake their heads. He nods but glances curiously towards Kiryu.

Zero immediately scowls at Kain. Like hell he'll explain things now. He glares at Kain again for good measure before Zero shifts the glare towards Aido who somehow fails to see the murderous intent in it.

No, the idiot walks over to him and says incredulously, "Is that true?"

Zero growls, "No. Now get the hell out already."

Aido blinks before he insists, "But they're all saying it."

Zero takes a deep, short breath because why the fuck is Aido interested in this too? He gripes, "They're insane."

Aido glances at him before he starts smirking again, and oh, Zero is so ready to punch him now. "You know, there's no smoke without fire." With a completely unwarranted triumphant look in his eyes, he asks smugly, "Why do you have a hand on your neck?"

Zero gives him another dirty look, and he says crossly, "I'm not going to play twenty questions with you, asshole. Get. Out."

Aido looks positively gleeful now, and he crows, "So you do have a hickey."

Zero scowls and says flatly, "It's a bug bite."

"A bug bite can't be that big enough for you to cover your neck like that."

"Then it's a rash."

Aido promptly presses, "From what?"

The annoying jackass. And from the corner of his eye, he can tell that all of the girls are also listening to the conversation. Don't they all have better things to do? Zero grits his teeth and throws out curtly, "Allergies."

"I didn't know you have an allergy."

Zero narrows his eyes. "I'm allergic to idiots. In fact, get away from me right now."

From his right, Zero can hear Kain - the useless bastard - snickering. An indignant expression crosses Aido's face briefly before he continues determinedly, "That isn't an actu-"

"Aido, I'm this close to punching you," Zero snaps, fed up with this retarded line of questioning.

"You know, you usually just go ahead and do that without announcing it." Aido's eyes glint and he says smugly, "Could it be…that you're actually really embarrassed about this?"

Zero's eye twitches and he takes a deep breath before lunging.

"Ow! You brute! You violent Neanderthal!"

"You stupid asshole. I've had it with you!"

"Oi, Hanabusa!"

"Zero! Stop! What are you doing?"

"Get off of me, Yuki!"

"Akatsuki, let go!"

"Yori-chan, help me!"

"Er, um. Ok?"

Takuma groans with a palm over his face. "What on earth are they doing?"

Shiki shrugs and holds out his hand for Rima to give him another pocky stick. "What did you expect?"

"They really are getting into the fight, aren't they?" Ruka remarks nonchalantly. "Oh, and so are the girls now."

Takuma glances over at the crowd then.

Most of the girls are yelling at Kiryu to stop hitting their precious idol while some are just cheering in general. Kain has Aido in what looks like a chokehold all the while complaining whenever Aido's flailing limbs come too close to his face. Aido, on the other hand, is starting to turn a beet red because of it.

…Or well, that could just be because he's still yelling at Kiryu. It's a little hard to tell.

Yuki and her friend are tugging on each of Zero's arms to hold him back, and it looks more like a one-sided tug of war than anything. And Kiryu and Aido, of course, are still hurling insults at each other.

Takuma sighs, but before he can go over there and break up the fight, a very familiar voice rings out.

"What is going on here?"

Ruka immediately straightens. Takuma widens his eyes briefly and spins around to see Kaname staring at the crowd with raised eyebrows. "Kaname, it, um…"

"Aido annoyed Kiryu." Shiki interrupts bluntly as he munches on the chocolate pocky stick.

Takuma turns and looks resignedly at Shiki who only shrugs again.

To their surprise, Kaname only sighs. "Of course he did."

Before any of them can say anything, Kaname is already walking over there. Takuma exchanges a nervous glance with Ruka before they all follow after.

Kaname frowns. Aido really should know better than to keep inciting Zero's temper. The girls upon recognizing him instantly make way for him. Kaname ignores the whispers and the interested glances as he moves towards the center of the crowd.

* * *

Zero is about to make another sharp retort when something deep tugs at him and his hunter instincts are ablaze at the appearance of a strong presence.

Kaname.

He furrows his eyebrows. Kaname's presence feels…weirdly brighter in a sense, a glaring strobe light in the middle of the flickering crowd. It's odd because while Kaname is not exactly hard to miss or detect, Zero has never felt this on edge before. His senses immediately zero in on Kaname's presence with a precision and naturalness that is a little unsettling.

Not to mention the odd twinge in his neck like a brief crack of static that disappears so quickly Zero is not even sure if he did actually feel it.

Zero shrugs off the thoughts. He's probably imagining things. Besides, more importantly, why is Kaname coming over here? His eyes dart reflexively to his left where sure enough, Kaname is making his way through the crowd. Zero inwardly groans. No. No. Damn it. He knew it. He really should have stayed in his room.

Zero stops struggling then and stares in that direction resignedly. Yuki and Yori look at each other, puzzled at Zero's sudden pause, before they cautiously let go. Yuki asks warily, "Zero?"

He doesn't hear her though, and Yuki turns to see what he's looking at. Oh, it's Kaname. She shifts nervously and her eyes flick from Zero, who is still very tense, to Kaname.

This is going to go well, right?

Kain also widens his eyes at Kaname's entry. Startled, his grip on Aido goes lax. Aido, still irritated and very much outraged, hasn't noticed Kaname yet and takes advantage of it to lunge at Zero.

Zero widens his eyes, not expecting the sudden movement and reflexively starts to shift to his left to dodge. Aido widens his eyes. Unprepared for Zero's move as well, he tries to pull back from the momentum of his lunge to stop himself from falling flat on his face.

In that split second, Zero's elbow ends up slamming into his cheek and his knee catches the side of Zero's thigh as Aido stumbles forward before falling.

Zero blinks at the sudden blur of fabric and movement and then winces at the burning knife of pain that slices through his leg instantly afterwards. He wobbles and falls backward. God, that hurts. What the hell? That stupid, idiotic asshole….

Incensed, he narrows his eyes and bites out, "What the hell is wrong with you!?"

Aido groans in pain, a hand pressed to his cheek. Outraged, he cries out, "Me? What's wrong with you? You just elbowed me in the face!"

"You deserve it, you asshole!" Zero retorts. He's about to get up when an outstretched hand suddenly appears in his face. He blinks in surprise and his eyes travel up to see Kaname waiting for him to take it. Zero hesitates for a moment before he grabs it gingerly, fingers settling over the warm palm.

Kaname tightens his fingers and pulls Zero up. Zero blinks at him again before he lets go of Kaname's hand and looks to the side, muttering under his breath, "Thanks."

Yuki observes the scene, eyes bright with interest. Zero would normally shrug Kaname off. She hides a smile. They _are_ getting along better then.

Yori looks at her quizzically. Yuki smiles then and shakes her head. She was worried for nothing.

Akatsuki, on the other hand, is crossing over to help Hanabusa up. He looks unhappily at Hanabusa and mouths, 'You're an idiot.'

Hanabusa makes an offended expression before he nods discreetly towards Kaname's direction. Hanabusa's face immediately begins to pale.

Akatsuki sighs. Idiot. And now he's probably going to be blamed for this too.

Kaname scans Zero briefly and glances towards Yuki, who grins happily at him. He wonders what exactly has her so delighted because nothing about this scene seems particularly favorable. Well, at least, everyone seems relatively fine, despite the skirmish.

He turns towards Aido and says a little exasperated, "Aido. Care to tell me what is going on here?"

Aido reddens but glances towards Zero though and says petulantly, "He started it." At Kaname's disapproving stare and Akatsuki's subtle jab in his ribs, Aido quickly amends, "I mean, I suppose, we both, um, lost our temper."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow, unimpressed at that explanation. Chastised, Aido finally admits, "I apologize for my behavior, Kaname-sama. It won't happen again."

Kaname nods, and both Hanabusa and Akatsuki immediately relax at Kaname's acceptance. "Let's go to class then."

However, to his surprise, all of the girls are still very much gathered around them. Gazing at them patiently, he asks politely, "Is there another issue here?"

The girls fidget before him, exchanging nervous glances. It's one thing to argue with Kiryu because that's practically a hallmark tradition between them and him by now, but…Kuran is a different story.

"Um, well. Not exactly?"

"It's just um, er, that."

Kaname pauses. They're not making any sense. The girls whisper again and exchange a glance with each other before someone finally blurts out, "We're still curious!"

Kaname looks questioningly at them. "Curious?"

"We want to know who Kiryu-kun's secret lover is!"

Kaname blinks, completely caught off guard by that. Secret lover?

He glances sideways at Zero who immediately stiffens and objects rather quickly, "I don't have one! I keep saying this. Do you all have selective hearing or are you all that delusional?"

"You're lying to us!"

"We saw the hickeys!"

"Yeah, you can't fool us!"

Zero flinches at those remarks while Kaname unintentionally echoes aloud, "Hickeys?"

One of the girls points towards Zero's neck. "See?"

Bewildered, Kaname blinks and turns towards Zero. His eyes automatically flick to Zero's right side of the neck where there is no tattoo. There's a small rosy bruise-like spot peeking from under Zero's collar, and another one below his ear. He honestly wouldn't have noticed them had no one mentioned it and if Zero adjusted his collar properly.

He narrows his eyes ever so slightly. Is that really a…oh, no. Did he leave that on Zero from before?

When lavender eyes, flickering with apprehension and dread, meet his own, Kaname stills and says blankly. "Ah…I see."

Zero widens his eyes and hisses under his breath, " _Kaname._ "

Kaname pauses as he realizes the implications of his remark. He clears his throat, "I mean, they look like bug bites to me." He turns and looks reassuringly at the girls, "I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding."

Yuki thankfully nods avidly and asserts, "That's right. They're just bug bites."

The girls pause at that and look dubiously at Zero once more, clearly torn between listening to Kaname or not.

"Are you certain?"

"Really, it looks like a-"

HONK!

A loud, shrill buzz suddenly blares through the air. Everyone immediately winces and turns around to look at the source of the sound.

Yori shakes the air horn in her hand and smiles sweetly, "I think everyone is all rather late for class. We can talk about this another time." She glances at the crowd. "You guys wouldn't want to cause them any trouble, right?"

At that, the girls blink before nodding and finally dispersing.

Yuki nudges Yori and giggles, "Good job, Yori-chan."

Zero, on the other hand, stares at Yori for a long moment before he asks helplessly, "Why did you wait until now to do that? You literally could have solved this entire thing before it even started."

"Zero!" Yuki frowns at him.

"What? It's true." He pauses. "Wait, is that how you guys have been dealing with class changeover all this time?"

Yuki only looks away sheepishly while Yori shrugs her shoulders with a small smile. Zero blinks and turns to Kaname who shrugs as well. "I didn't attend class last week."

Takuma speaks up, "Things were a bit more…hectic when you weren't here for the class changeover, Zero." He looks apologetically at Yuki. "Not that you weren't able to do your job well, Yuki."

Yuki shakes her head and smiles reassuringly at him. "It's fine. I'm not offended."

Ruka remarks, a challenging tone in her voice. "I personally don't see a difference. Things are as loud as ever, whether or not Kiryu is here."

Takuma furrows his eyebrows slightly and gives her a pointed glance.

"Please. No. My ears can't take that anymore," Aido whines, effectively changing the subject.

Ruka glances at him and shakes her head. "You're such a child."

Aido immediately frowns and complains, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Ruka rolls her eyes. "Exactly what it's supposed to. Remind me again, who's the one who started this commotion?"

"Says the spectator who just stood and watched everything," Aido counters.

Ruka frowns before reaching out to tug at Aido's ear.

"Ow! What's wrong with you? Let go, you sore loser!"

Ruka only tightens her fingers in retribution, and says irritated. "Sore loser? What on earth would I be competing with you for? You can keep the prize for being the number one idiot for all I care. I don't want it."

"You-"

"Er. Let's not start another fight here, guys," Kain says with a smile a little too strained to be cheerful. When the both of them turn to glare at him, Akatsuki sighs - seriously, why is it always him? - and nods slightly towards Kaname's direction.

Ruka and Aido both blink at that before Ruka lets go of Aido and they both take a step away from each other.

Takuma shakes his head at their antics. "All the other students have gone in already. We should too."

He turns, about to usher everyone into the building when Takuma realizes that Kaname has not moved yet. "Kaname?"

Kaname does not answer, and everyone turns to look at him…and Zero with surprise. They are both staring at each other with very different expressions. Kaname looks slightly mystified and Zero looks like he would be anywhere but there.

Takuma pauses. Kiryu isn't arguing with Kaname or brushing him off like he normally would, but then again, Kaname is silent as well. There is an odd tension between them that Takuma cannot place. He looks at them curiously before repeating hesitantly, "Um, Kaname?"

Kaname glances towards him and says, "Takuma, please go on ahead without me. I need to talk with Zero for a moment."

Aido blinks and squawks, "With Kiryu?"

Takuma subtly pushes Aido forward before nodding, "Of course." He turns back and smiles cheerfully. "Let's head in, everyone."

Aido protests, "Wait, but - Akatsuki!"

Kain drags Aido by the collar. "Come on. Let's go. I'm not going to be happy if you end up giving the both of us detention."

Ruka wavers though, glancing suspiciously behind her before Takuma gently pushes her forward. "You wouldn't want to cause any more trouble, now would you?"

Ruka opens her mouth to protest, but Takuma only flashes her another genial smile and she sighs and gives in. It's impossible to argue with Takuma, after all.

Rima follows after her, and Takuma sighs with Shiki following after him, commenting placidly, "Good job, Vice-President."

Takuma shakes his head. "Shiki…"

* * *

Zero widens his eyes and protests, "Hold on, what? What do we need to talk about?"

Kaname gazes at him, voice tinged with exasperation, "Zero."

"Can't it wait? I have to patrol. I-You want Yuki to do it by herself?"

Kaname frowns slightly. It is painfully clear that Zero is looking for an excuse, but he still has a valid point. Unfortunately. He gives Zero a meaningful look and promises, "Fine, we will talk later then."

Before Zero can respond, Yuki steps in and suggests enthusiastically, much to Zero's unhappiness. "It's ok, Kaname-senpai. Go ahead! Yori-chan can come with me for a while until you two finish."

Kaname blinks at her, a little surprised because Yuki still seems oddly satisfied with something. Zero, on the other hand, complains, exasperated, "Yuki, what are you saying?"

Yuki ignores him. She makes a shooing motion with her hand and smiles, eyes gleaming mischievously. "Go, go. You owe me, Zero!"

"I-what How? I didn't even ask you to!" Zero splutters, but Yuki is already waving at them and walking away with Yori.

He frowns. Great. Is it just him or is no one able to understand the subliminal messages today?

There is no one in the courtyard now except for them. The sudden subdued atmosphere that sinks in is such a contrast to the busy, rambunctious one from before that it feels almost unnatural.

Zero bites his lips. The awkwardness is also slinking back in. He feels self-conscious, all too aware that he's alone with Kaname.

How are things supposed to be between them?

Zero cannot forget that night when Kaname stepped in to stop him. Those words, that expression…

He still has trouble wrapping his mind around that. Kaname isn't the person Zero thought he was, but he doesn't know what to do with that new understanding. It subtly shifts something between them, and he doesn't what to do with that either.

And the bond only complicates things. It leaves him scrambling to find a foothold before he can even decide where he wants to be.

Kaname glances at Zero. There is a troubled slant of the mouth and a contemplative expression in Zero's eyes. Kaname can sense the discomfort and confusion from Zero. He inwardly sighs.

He may have been the one to initiate this conversation, but Kaname doesn't feel ready to face Zero yet. Seeing Zero face to face suddenly reminds Kaname that he still has not thought of a solution or way to approach the bond yet.

He had spent the remaining part of the weekend to delve back into paperwork and preparation for the council's meeting on Friday. Perhaps, it was a subconscious decision to avoid thinking about the bond.

It is not an issue that they should or even can skirt around. Kaname knows that. In fact, he should have done more research on the matter. But, Kaname does not know what he wants to do yet or even how he feels about the entire thing in general.

He doesn't know where things stand between him and Zero.

The spontaneity of the bond throws him off balance. It frustrates Kaname because usually, he has a plan, a strategy. He hates the feeling of fumbling in the dark, of having to navigate the sharp turns and twists in the unknown path before him with not even a compass available.

Kaname sighs. Perhaps he is overthinking things. Didn't he advise Zero not to think to worry needlessly before? He should take his own advice then.

The sound of someone reciting a verse loudly suddenly drifts out of one of the open windows. There is no one in the courtyard, but eavesdroppers are a common and a very real possibility. With the council becoming more assertive, it does not hurt to be more careful.

Kaname assesses the building once more before he comes to a decision. He turns and suggests quietly, "Let's go talk somewhere more private."

Zero blinks blankly at him. More private? Kaname looks like he has something important to discuss though, so he shrugs and agrees. "Alright."

Kaname nods and leads them to a secluded alcove in one of the mini gardens tucked here and there around the school. Sometimes Zero wonders about the architecture because there are more gardens, twisting pathways, and courtyards than necessary. That added with the woods on the periphery of the academy grounds make patrolling an absolute pain.

Why does an academy even need gardens in the first place? It's a school, not some sort of museum. Zero frowns.

Then again, with Cross as the headmaster, what else could he expect?

Kaname stops and looks at him. Zero shifts. There is an old wooden bench nestled in the alcove, and he's not sure whether Kaname wants him to sit down or not. He wavers for another moment and with another hesitant glance at Kaname, Zero sits down carefully.

There is a beat of silence before Kaname sits down as well.

Zero stares absentmindedly around. There are vines curling around the legs of the bench, dark green tendrils against the rough dusty white brown grain of the wood. The bushes of camellias are on either side of the bench, already in bloom. Their soft tea pink petals rustle gently in the slight cool breeze.

Despite the impracticality of them, Zero has to grudgingly admit that the gardens are pretty.

He's still gazing at the flowers when he asks, "What did you want to talk about?"

Kaname does not say answer though. Zero raises his head up to look at him and catches Kaname giving a sidelong glance at his neck. He furrows his eyebrows for a minute before realizing exactly what side of his neck can be seen in Kaname's position right now.

Zero widens his eyes and slaps a hand over his neck. Damn it. He can already feel the telltale burn on his cheeks.

Kaname stares and cannot help but be fascinated by the soft flush of color on Zero's face. Zero normally does not blush this much, does he?

Without thinking, he comments, eyes still tracking the rosiness blooming on those cheeks. "Your cheeks are so red."

Zero flushes even more at the unneeded comment and he glares. "Kaname, I swear to god, if this is what you want to talk about, I'm going to hit you."

Kaname, of course being the bastard he is, doesn't drop the matter, and instead asks curiously, "Why didn't you wear a scarf or at least something to cover it up?"

Zero scowls and grumbles, "Shut up. You suck. This is all your fault. How was I supposed to know you did that?"

Kaname pauses. To be fair, he doesn't remember doing that either. The memories of Friday are still wisps of colors and sensations drifting through his mind, as hard to catch as an autumn leaf on a windy day.

And looking at those marks on Zero's neck and then realizing that he was the one who made them is…bizarre, to say the least. Kaname is not sure what he feels about that. He just knows that at times, this entire situation with Zero still feels surreal and incomprehensible, like a dream.

Kaname glances at Zero who is most definitely sulking. It's uncharacteristic of Zero, but at the same time, it's oddly intriguing to see. He says lightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Do you want me to apologize?"

"Yes!" When Kaname looks even more amused, Zero quickly backtracks, "No. You-" He pauses and looks away, a palm over his face, and complains, "You should be more embarrassed about this."

Kaname's lips twitch upwards and he says amusedly, "I would, but it looks like you're feeling more than enough for the both of us."

There is a teasing tone in Kaname's voice that makes Zero surprised to hear it. He gazes wonderingly at Kaname before biting his lip and looking away to mumble, "I'll leave if you don't hurry up and tell me what you want to say already."

The corner of Kaname's lips curve in a smile at Zero's reaction. He refrains from teasing Zero again though- even he knows not to push at Zero's limits- and says more seriously, "The council members are meeting with me on Friday."

Zero blinks at him then. "Here?" He furrows his eyebrows and continues warily, "Why? What's wrong?"

"They want to investigate Shizuka's death," Kaname answers carefully.

Zero frowns. "Didn't they think it was me?"

Kaname sighs, and there's a hint of irritation in his voice. "They are not convinced."

"So this is what? An investigation?" Zero asks suspiciously. Great. A bunch of suspicious, scheming bloodsuckers arriving to his school. Just what he needed to make this week from horrible unbearable to apocalyptically horrendous.

"Of sorts." Kaname looks slightly apologetic before the expression recedes back into his usual composure, and he says seriously, "Keep an eye on Yuki. Don't bring her anywhere near the Moon Dorm."

Zero takes in Kaname's expression before he shrugs and says matter-of-factly, "I already do that anyways." He pauses, glancing at Kaname. "Will you be ok with the council?"

That slight, amused smile returns to Kaname's face again, and Kaname reassures, "You don't have to worry about me."

Zero looks peeved and grumbles, "I never said that." He blinks and asks suddenly, "Wait, did you say that the council is meeting you on Friday?"

Kaname lifts an eyebrow curiously. "Yes, why?"

"Kaito dropped by earlier. He and sensei just got back from their mission. He told me that the Hunter's Association has a new president."

Kaname immediately stills, mind already racing through the implications. A new president? What does that mean? How could have the position changed hands so quickly – and easily? If he remembers correctly, the former president had years of experience on the job, and recent event haven't suggested a reason or a need for a different leader.

Kaname questions sharply, russet eyes attentive. "The Hunters Association has a new president?"

Zero shrugs. "That's what Kaito said." Watching Kaname, he asks in surprise, "You didn't know? Cross didn't say anything yet?"

"No." Kaname pauses and adds as an afterthought, "Although, he did ask to meet with me later this evening."

Zero nods. Then, he probably just informed Kaname too early then. Zero hesitates before he reveals, "Apparently, he's coming over on Friday to introduce himself to Cross."

Kaname narrows his eyes, alert now. "On Friday as well?" He frowns. The timing of this meeting coincides with his own meeting with the council. The odds of it being a coincidence are too low to be reassured with.

"That's what Kaito said."

Kaname says silent.

Zero's takes in Kaname's brooding expression and comments, "It's not good, is it?"

Kaname sighs. "It's rather too convenient."

Zero nods. "Um, is there anything else?"

"…Not exactly." Kaname stops and then starts slowly, "You don't feel any different, do you?"

Zero cringes. "Are you talking about the bond?"

Kaname nods. Zero pauses and answer unsurely, "No?"

Unless of course, different means that today makes no sense - from the looks of things, this week doesn't look any better - and he feels more insane than ever, then yes, he feels _different_.

Although, that is more because of the idiots he keeps attracting today and the thoughts he can't get rid of than strictly because of the bond.

Zero inwardly groans. There is no way that he will say that to Kaname though. At this rate, he can wave goodbye to whatever sanity he still has left.

Kaname looks at him, both exasperated by Zero's answer and confused at Zero's pinched expression, "Are you asking me or telling me?"

Zero shrugs and offers, "My neck still feels weird."

"Weird?" Kaname repeats, eyes already flicking back to Zero's neck. As in what exactly? It's still sensitive because of the bite? Or is because of the hickeys?

…Kaname truly hopes it isn't the latter. The sight of them is as strange as the knowledge that he is the one who made them.

Or perhaps it's more like…how when he touched Zero's neck from before?

As if Zero knows what Kaname is thinking, Zero frowns and says firmly, lilac eyes flashing in wariness. "You're not allowed anywhere near my neck."

Giving Zero a sidelong glance, Kaname remarks, voice heavy with amusement. "You make it sound like I attacked you."

Zero grumbles, "I don't care. You'll make it worse." He glances at Kaname and asks curiously, "What about you?"

"It is not anymore different than before."

Zero scrunches up his face in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"Whenever you take blood from me, sometimes there is an awareness that lingers."

Zero immediately freezes and asks quickly, "What do you mean by awareness?"

Kaname looks at him before responding in a dismissive tone. "I mean like vague sensations from you."

"Like as in…you can tell what I'm feeling? Thinking?" Zero asks in alarm.

God, no. Please say no. Zero chants incessantly in his head. Heck, he doesn't know half of the things that go on in his own head. He really doesn't need Kaname to know just how much he's been driving himself crazy over the past few days.

Kaname answers, quizzical at Zero's unease. "Well, not exactly. It's more like sensing when you're nearby." He stops and contemplates, "I suppose, intuition would be a better word to describe it."

When Zero does not answer, suddenly quiet and pensive, Kaname comments lightly, "You're overthinking it. If you frown so much, you'll get early wrinkles, Zero."

Zero blinks in surprise at Kaname's tone before he regains his composure and says a little dryly, "If I get wrinkles, that's more because of the people around me than anything." He shifts and continues, "But I think I get what you mean about the bond now."

Kaname blinks, and now it's his turn to be surprised. "Are you feeling the same thing?"

"Not exactly. It's just, I don't know, your presence feels…sharper now. I can sense it easier." Zero pauses and tries to explain, "I mean, you're a pureblood. So it was never exactly hard to detect. It's just…I don't know. More noticeable?"

"I…see."

Zero frowns at Kaname's bemused expression. "I'm not explaining anymore."

Kaname chuckles. "Alright then."

Zero blinks. There it is again. The light tone catches him off guard, and Zero finally registers the comfortable tone of their conversation. It's…bizarre. They have never had a conversation that extended beyond a handful of terse, blunt lines, and that used to be on a _good_ day.

It's unexpected, but…not entirely unwanted.

Zero clears his throat. "So um, is this permanent then?"

Kaname turns his head. "You mean the bond?" When Zero nods, Kaname hesitates and continues slowly, "I'm not…certain. Nothing significant has happened. And honestly, the sensations we feel right now would be typical of sharing and giving our blood, even if there is no bond involved."

He remarks resignedly. "We will just have to wait and see."

Zero gazes at him helplessly and voices, "So that's the game plan? Just see what it goes?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"...No," Zero sighs. Silence then reigns between them. Zero glances at Kaname before he shifts again, and asks awkwardly, "That's it, right? So, er, I'm going to go back on the patrol with Yuki then."

Kaname nods. Zero glances at him again. It looks like he wants to say something else before Zero apparently decides not to and moves to stand up instead.

As Zero walks off, Kaname feels the slightest of a tinge in his neck. It's nothing dramatic, a brief sensation that flutters away just as quickly as it comes, and Kaname almost feels like he imagined it. He gazes at Zero's increasingly distant back and furrows his eyebrows.

There are no severe changes yet, but it only takes a small pebble to send ripples through the pond.

Kaname frowns, He rubs his neck idly. No, he can think about this later. For now, he needs to focus on the council.

Kaname sighs before he steels his expression and strides off to find Cross. There are things he needs to discuss.

 


	5. Sometimes Fridays feel like Mondays and Everyone's Sanity is Questionable

 

Yagari sighs. A cool breeze rustles the dry leaves, and they scrape against the cobblestone pathway. He flicks the ash away before he brings up the cigarette up again to his lips. He takes a short puff before slowly exhaling out again. The white gray plume of smoke rises up and seemingly disappears up in the steel gray sky.

It looks like it might rain soon.

He sighs again. The things he spend his Fridays doing…

Kaito leans back against the brick wall besides him. He comments lazily, "Smoking's not allowed on campus. You're killing your lungs, you kno- Hey!"

Yagari pulls his hand back and grumbles, "I already heard that more than enough this week. You're not old enough to lecture me."

Kaito rubs his head and shots him a dirty glare. He mutters, "Fine, fine. Go ahead. It's your health, not mine. Ruin it all you want."

Yagari snorts in an equally dry voice. "And yet you're still complaining." He breathes out the smoke before drawling, "You're already what? Twenty? And yet you're still a little shit as always. I'm starting to see why you can't get a girlfriend. Keep this up and you'll die an old maid, Kaito."

At that, Kaito finally frowns and glares back at him, "I'm twenty two! And the term is bachelor. Don't mess up my gender. Are you finally losing your other eye, old man?" He promptly steps away when Yagari lifts an arm to half-heartedly swat at him. "And what the hell does my relationship status have to do with anything?"

Yagari glances at him for a moment before taking a long, satisfying drag of the cigarette and not so accidentally directing it in Kaito's direction.

Kaito mutters a string of curses under his breath as he waves an irritated hand in the air to get rid of the smoke.

Yagari really should have better things to do on Friday than wait around for a more than suspicious president for a less than auspicious meeting. He ignores Kaito's outburst and comments idly, "Well, it's not like you can think about this anymore. It wouldn't be proper for you as a teacher anyways."

Kaito stops at that, hazel eyes already narrowing in wariness. He asks slowly, "…What do you mean by teacher?"

Yagari smirks and deliberately says loftily, "Oh? Didn't I tell you? Congratulations. You're the new art teacher."

Kaito stills, expression completely blank before the entirety of the statement registers. He immediately scowls and responds vexed, "What do you mean by art teacher? How could you forget to tell me something like this, huh? It's Friday. Oi, when were you planning to tell me? On Monday, right before I start?"

He glances at Yagari before saying dryly, "Sensei, I know you're getting old. But if you're already suffering short term memory, do us all a favor and retire."

Yagari glares at him, irritated. "I'm starting to get tired of all your commentary on my age. Do I look like I'm going senile anytime soon, idiot?"

"Appearances can be deceiving," Kaito retorts before his eyebrows furrow and he complains, voice snarky and sarcastic. "How could you tell Cross that I would be the art teacher? I know shit about art. What the hell would I teach them? The intricacies of folding a paper airplane? How to make stunning sculptures out of play-doh?"

Yagari shrugs, completely unsympathetic. It's not like he knows anything about ethics either. And while Cross – the completely irritating bastard - did have other positions available, they were even less appealing.

Like home economics, for example. He's not even going to consider anything that has to do with wearing an apron.

And the whole guidance counselor position on the other hand was actually open, but kids do go in for counseling frequently during the week.

…Which considering that the academy is run by a lunatic is completely understandable, but like hell he has the patience to listen to kids whine about their problems all day.

There isn't enough caffeine in the world for him to endure that.

Yagari idly flicks the ash off the cigarette and remarks, "Tough luck." He sucks in another breath of smoke before continuing, "Just bullshit your way through. Isn't that what you always do? This should be easy for you."

Kaito frowns. "Very funny. Tell me again, why the hell are you teaching ethics out of all things? Are you going to teach by reverse example?"

Yagari doesn't even look at him as he neatly kicks Kaito for that comment.

"Ow! What the fuck! How the hell are you going to be a teacher, huh? Maybe you don't know this, but corporal punishment has long been banned in schools." Kaito bites out as he rubs his shin smarting from the hit. He grumbles, "I'm starting to feel sorry for your students."

Yagari only hums, eyes watching the smoke swirl in the air, and comments, "You're still alive, so that must mean my teaching technique is fine."

"How fortunate am I to have a sensei like you who evaluates himself on whether his students are still breathing. Tell me, when you do roll call, will you be counting the number of corpses versus the number alive?" Kaito deadpans before continuing more exasperatedly, "Seriously. What the hell would I be doing teaching an art class?"

"Exactly what you just said. Teaching art, idiot."

"Thank you for that shitty explanation. Have I ever mentioned what a perceptive teacher you are?"

"Because if so, I take it back," He adds.

"It's part of our assignment. So man up and stop whining about it." Yagari says dryly.

Kaito sighs and leans back against the brick wall again. "Fine." After a moment, he asks, "So? What's the big deal with the new president? Why am I spending my Friday night rolling out the welcome mat for him?"

Yagari raises an eyebrow. "You wouldn't have plans on Friday regardless."

Kaito drawls, "Sensei, please don't lump me in with you. Unlike you, I have a fully functional social life."

Yagari shrugs and comments, "Self-denial isn't a healthy habit, Kaito."

Kaito glares at him and deliberately emphasizes, "Seeing as how we're _both_ here then, why is the president so hellbent on meeting Cross already?"

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to."

Kaito smirks then, amused. "You really don't like him."

Yagari flicks the ashes from the cigarette again and comments, "You're the one who's saying that aloud." He nods and gazes forward. "Here they come."

Kaito straightens, eyes alert now.

Sure enough, two individuals are walking up the cobblestone path towards the main entrance. Kaito's gaze slides over them. Yagari has already met the president, but he hasn't.

The man on the right is older. Kaito guesses that the man is probably in his late forties or early fifties. Or looks like it anyways.

He has thick, jet black hair that has been meticulously combed over and parted to the side. The man's most prominent features are his deep set, slate grey eyes and prominent jawline.

Everything about the man carries an aura of discipline and sureness. The dark slacks are neatly pressed. The white collared shirt is fully buttoned up, complete with a black tie. A black high collar trench coat spans across his broad shoulders.

Even his stride is purposeful and measured.

So that's their new president, huh?

Kaito glances over at the man on the president's left. Closely cropped, dark hair, slim eyebrows, and sharper cheekbones. Younger than the president, but definitely older than sensei.

Somewhere in his mid-thirties? Whatever, he'll go with that. He's shit with guessing people's ages.

The man is leaner, but as Kaito's eyes narrow, definitely someone not to take lightly in a fight. There's a crisp sense of power and danger subtly concealed in the way the man moves. Looking at the man walk is gives him the same feeling as watching the glimmer of steel before a blade is drawn.

He's also dressed similarly albeit with a longer, unbuttoned black trench coat over a light gray, military styled collared shirt and belted black slacks.

Kaito furrows his eyebrows. What the hell is up with the military vibe he's getting from these guys?

Because while the association has never been lax with dealing with vampires after the war, they have never been particularly gung-ho or assertive on missions either.

From what he remembers, the guy goes by Ryou.

No surname. No mention of his previous rank.

It's common knowledge at headquarters now that he is the president's right hand man. Even from here, Kaito can detect a sense of trust and deference between the two.

But other than that? Nothing. Nada.

Well, doesn't that just scream trustworthiness.

Kaito inwardly scoffs. He's starting to see why sensei is so disgruntled about them.

Yagari frowns slightly on the other hand, blue eye flicking over the two briefly. And like before, he easily spots the hardened expression in their eyes, placed there by years on the job, experience, and it's because Yagari can recognize it that it puts him on edge.

He eases off from the rough brick wall and drops his cigarette before crushing it under the thick sole of his boot.

He really ought to be paid overtime for this.

Takenaka comes to a stop, precisely four steps in front of him. Ryou also comes to a pause. Yagari can sense that Kaito is subtly tense as well.

Silence sinks into the space between them, heavy and apprehensive. Yagari, never one for useless wordplay, severs it by nodding and saying crisply, "President."

Takenaka nods back and responds straightforwardly, "Yagari-san. I see you have already arrived. Kaito-kun as well. Have you been debriefed?"

Kaito pauses at that odd wording before he answers simply, "We have."

Yagari tilts his head towards the building and says offhandedly, "Shall we go in now? It's a little too cold here to be standing here exchanging pleasantries."

Out of the corner of his eye, Kaito catches Ryou looking sharply at Yagari, no doubt miffed at Yagari's casualness, before his face smooths over in an impassive expression again.

"Of course. Cross-san is expecting us." Takenaka says simply. He fluidly turns and strides into the building. Ryou does not even hesitate before he follows as well, stride matching seamlessly with the president.

Yagari suppresses another sigh and walks in, hands in his pockets, fingers already twitching for another cigarette. The new president sure doesn't mince his words, and there is a brusqueness to every word that sharply contradicts the politeness of them. He can already tell that the man is rather inflexible, and that this meeting with Cross is most likely not going to go that well.

Kaito raises an eyebrow at the terse exchange before he hurries after Yagari as well.

* * *

Takenaka knocks on the door, one crisp rap that resounds through the oak doors before Cross's voice rings out cheerfully. "Come in!"

Takenaka lifts an eyebrow before he opens the door and walks in with Ryou following after. The two, however, are barely five steps beyond the doorway before both of them come to a complete stop.

Yagari pauses and looks blankly at the scene.

Cross – What the hell is the man even doing? - is balanced precariously on the stepladder. And by balanced, Yagari means that one leg is on the stepladder, one hand gripping the edge of the bookshelf, and the other leg is dangling in the air.

In other words, Cross isn't balanced for shit and Yagari questions Cross's predilection towards defying gravity at every possible opportunity.

Cross is not even looking at them. He's still stretching his fingers as he strains his entire body forward to reach the file that also rests perilously on top of the towering bookcase that is already crammed with countless books.

Idiot.

And of course, Cross is wearing his usual brand of crazy. He has on an indigo collared shirt, a black vest, and gray checkered slacks complete with a dark red top hat and his usual lion slippers.

It's seriously like watching the circus master do acrobatics. Yagari represses a groan. Done. This meeting is done before it even started.

Cross is completely unperturbed by the varying expressions of bewilderment on his guests or Yagari's deeply exasperated one or even Kaito's incredibly amused one. He merely gestures in the air for them to sit down, but the stepladder wobbles ominously as he does so.

It takes all of Yagari's willpower not to yank him down already. Everyone in the whole damned room can see the catastrophe from miles away.

Unflustered by his near fall, Cross continues cheerfully as ever, "Come in, come in! Please have a seat. I'm afraid you will have to give me a minute to pull down this file."

Takenaka, to his credit, recomposes himself and says carefully, "…Of course, Cross-san. Do you require assistance?"

Cross swivels his head around to look towards the president. The stepladder lurches for a sudden, very painfully tangible moment before it settles again and Cross rights himself, much to the relief of the entire room.

Cross laughs a little at that before he says flippantly, "No, no. It's fine. Don't worry yourself. Please help yourself to the brownies I made." He turns back towards the bookcase and continues, fingers craning towards the file when the file suddenly tumbles down.

…Along with the rest of everything it's been sitting on.

Cross blinks and freezes. "I – oops. Hmm, perhaps, I should invest in a file cabinet."

There is a moment of silence in the room as everyone stares at the flurry of papers plummeting down on the gleaming, polished wooden floor.

Yagari is torn between feeling exasperated or incredulous, and settles instead on thinking that Cross should invest in some new sanity as well.

Cross shrugs and ambles down the stepladder, completely at ease as if his entire office does not look at all ransacked now. He merely steps over the pile of scattered papers and bends down to pick up the file in one fluid motion. "Well, there we go."

He turns to face Takenaka and Ryou and gestures once more towards the armchairs in front of the desk. With a genial smile, Cross continues, "Won't you please sit down then?"

Takenaka watches him curiously for a moment before he nods and walks towards the desk. Ryou follows after him, but not without glancing bewilderedly at Cross.

Yagari suppresses a sigh and ambles over as well. He notes that there are four armchairs already prepared in front of Cross's desk.

This time he does sigh before dropping down in the armchair.

Kaito pauses for a moment. He would rather be sitting on the sofa so that he doesn't have to actively participate in this clearly wonderful conversation they will be having. He grimaces slightly before sitting down as well next to Yagari.

Seriously though, does he even need to be here for this?

Once they are all seated, Takenaka glances at Cross again, but Cross does not say anything. Instead, he hums and reaches for the teapot sitting on the tray on his desk to start preparing the tea cups.

Slowly but surely, Yagari can smell the earthy, sweet aroma of the tea diffusing throughout the room, warm and welcoming.

Yagari has to admit that he's a little impressed. Cross has single-handedly shifted the atmosphere to something lighter and more comfortable. His lips twitch briefly in an amused grin because that is what exactly makes Cross unpredictable, the deliberateness that shows its face now and then through his carefreeness.

Cross asks lightly, "Is tea alright with you? President…?"

"Takenaka. Takenaka Masato. Tea is fine."

Cross nods and continues pouring the tea in the next cup. He glances towards Ryou, and Ryou immediately answers as well. "Ryou."

"Ah," Cross acknowledges before he gives each person their tea cup. "Congratulations on your new position, Takenaka-san. I have to admit I was surprised to hear that the association had a new president."

He hands Yagari his tea as he asks nonchalantly, "May I ask whatever happened to the former president?"

Yagari accepts the tea cup and notes that this time there are white doves and red roses on the porcelain. He takes a sip of the tea - Earl Grey this time - all the while taking care to listen attentively to the president's answer.

Takenaka answers, tone blunt and direct, "He retired."

Yagari narrows his eyes slightly. There is no hesitance, no pretense at all in the man's tone and yet the words are vague and suspicious.

"I see," Cross only says before he pushes forward a plate of…

…the most lopsided versions of brownies that Yagari has ever seen. Or at least, that's what he hopes Cross was trying to make. The dark deep orange color is throwing him off.

Why the man insists on cooking, he will never know.

Cross looks at them, eyes expectant and enthusiastic, and urges them, "Here, you go. Please don't be reserved. Take as many as you want."

Takenaka barely spares it more than a brief look before he excuses himself rather diplomatically, "I'm afraid I have to watch the amount of sugar I take. The health concerns that old age brings, you see."

"Ah. Of course, I understand." Cross then turns and grins at Ryou, who now looks slightly uncomfortable. "Then, Ryou-san, please enjoy these brownies in the president's stead. Kaito-kun. You too."

Kaito does not even hesitate and says quickly, "Sorry, Chairman. I have a stomach ache."

Before Cross can even say anything to him, Yagari says bluntly, "I'm not hungry."

He ignores the pointed glance that Cross gives him discreetly. Even he's not that reckless to gamble with his stomach like that.

Cross clears his throat and turns towards the president, tone easy and relaxed. "So, Takenaka-san, what brings you here to the academy?"

"I apologize for the intrusion."

Cross waves a hand dismissively. "Oh, no. It's fine. I'm flattered to have you come visit, but surely, you must have a busy schedule, Takenaka-san. Are you sure it's alright for you to come see me right now?" He smiles and continues, "I'm just a headmaster, after all."

Takenaka smiles slightly and answers in a deep and steady voice. "There is no need for you to be so humble. Your reputation precedes you."

Cross shrugs and says airily, "That's very kind of you to say so, but it's all in the past though. I have retired as a hunter."

Takenaka regards Cross with a speculative gaze before he asks, "I was always curious about that. A capable hunter like you who retired so suddenly. For what reasons, did you decide to leave the association?"

Yagari's eyes flick from Takenaka to Cross in interest at the sudden shift in the conversation.

Cross pauses for a moment before he offers, "I simply realized that there were other things I could accomplish without a sword in my hand."

"Such as opening this academy?" Takenaka prompts, a hint of heavy disapproval in his tone.

"Yes."

There is a note of tension underlying the conversation now, and Yagari watches on warily. Takenaka gives Cross another assessing gaze and says straightforwardly, "I have heard about your views on co-existence, but to believe that this academy can induce such change..."

Takenaka takes a slow sip of his tea before he sets the cup down, the sharp sound of china tinkling as he does so. He continues on steadily, "They say you can't teach a dog new tricks. People do not change so easily, Cross-san. The idea of a former hunter in charge of such a school strikes me as odd."

Cross tilts his head, hazel eyes bright and determined, as he says, "Perhaps, it is hypocritical of me to do so. But, that is what this academy is for. What we could not accomplish as the older generation, the younger generation can."

"Some would say the younger generation is too prone to rebelling against the ideals of the older. They forget things all too easily."

Cross blows gently across the rim of the tea cup before taking a delicate sip. Gazing contemplatively down at the cup, he remarks, "Not all things that cycle through generations are beneficial to have."

The room falls quiet then with the unexpected graveness of his statement.

Cross smiles softly. "The younger ones may be naïve, but it's precisely because of it that they are able to have a different perspective. Isn't that fine then?"

"Is it truly?" Takenaka answers, voice deepening momentarily in seriousness.

Kaito shifts his legs a little restlessly. This conversation is getting a lot more philosophical than he cares for. He inwardly sighs and glances at Takenaka and Cross staring at each other.

It's clear that the new president does not want to delve into this matter anymore either because he says calmly, "But that is enough of this topic. There is something else that I want to discuss with you."

"Please, go ahead."

"I am concerned over the security measures of this academy."

Even Yagari lifts an eyebrow at the frankness of that statement. He knows that the president wants to keep a closer eye on the school, but the way the man talks brings an urgency to the matter that Yagari does not expect.

Cross starts slowly, "And what in particular has you concerned?"

"The Night Class."

Bewilderment flashes across Cross's face briefly before he ventures carefully, "By that, do you mean the presence of the Night Class itself?"

"No. While I have my own reservations about that, this as you said, an academy where the two races coexist. I am more concerned about the recent events." Takenaka's grey eyes gleam critically and he frowns, voice deepening in clear dissatisfaction, "Specifically the fact that a pureblood was able to infiltrate this academy so easily."

Yagari narrows his eyes. So the president is already informed of the incident with Shizuka.

Takenaka continues on calmly and gestures to Yagari and Kaito, "I would like to assign two hunters to the Night Class to prevent similar events from occurring."

Despite the seemingly courteous wording, there is a clear assertiveness in Takenaka's tone and the request is more of an order than anything. The man really is testing Cross, Yagari muses.

Cross seems to realize it too because he has a slight frown now.

"Cross-san?"

"I…understand your reasoning." Cross pauses before his face tenses into an uncharacteristically determined expression. "But I would like to make one thing clear."

Takenaka gazes straight back and nods shortly. "Please, go ahead."

"I do not tolerate anyone interfering with the studies of my students, whether it be the Hunter's Association or the Vampire Council. It is my firm opinion that the affairs of adults should not involve children," Cross emphasizes, a resolute golden gleam in his hazel eyes and features sharpening.

Yagari raises an eyebrow at the tense exchange. He did not think that Cross would respond so assertively in return either. If anything, Cross needs to tread carefully here or the academy will be in the association's crosshairs from now on.

He glances over at Takenaka, grudgingly impressed by the man's purposefulness. By now, it is obvious that the man is anything but timid.

Still…

Yagari's eyes flick back to Cross. There is a strange satisfaction in seeing that tigers always have their claws after all, even if they're retired and wearing a top hat.

Ryou speaks up then, much to everyone's surprise. His voice is cold as he counters sharply, "I would hardly call a group of bloodsuckers the innocent children that you seem so fond in deluding yourself in, Cross-san."

Kaito blinks. And people call him harsh. He glances at Ryou. The man was so quiet throughout this entire conversation that he quite honestly forgot the man was even here in the first place.

He narrows his eyes. No, not quiet. The man was sitting back and observing. Even now, Ryou is scrutinizing Cross for his reaction. Geez, and Kaito thought the president was overbearing.

"Ryou," Takenaka reprimands, voice stern.

Ryou narrows his eyes but stays silent.

Cross pauses before he says lightly but with a hint of displeasure in his tone, "The Night Class are enrolled as students, and they will be treated as such." He looks towards Takenaka and smiles slightly, "Assigning two hunters would suggest that I do not trust them and foster an environment that is detrimental to the goals of this academy. I hope you can understand my position."

Takenaka says calmly, "Your resoluteness is commendable, Cross -san. I can tell that you care for your students, but recent events at the academy are a cause for concern. The association regards the safety of the Day Class seriously."

He pauses and then asks abruptly, "You have two guardians here, correct?"

"We do."

Takenaka nods. "Then think of the two assigned hunters as added surveillance and protection. This academy has a large perimeter. More hands could only be beneficial. Once matters have been thoroughly investigated, and there is no threat of danger present, then I will withdraw them."

He continues gravely, "It would be a shame for the academy you cherish so highly to be shut down for mere security concerns."

Yagari raises an eyebrow as he lifts the cup to his lips. A threat is a threat, no matter how sugar coated it is. Cross is going to have his hands full with the new president.

Cross does not relent and continues steadily, "I understand then, Takenaka-san. If I may be frank, if it wasn't for the fact that Yagari and Kaito-kun are both reliable hunters, I would be less willing to accept this. However, I reserve the right to remove them if their presence becomes a distraction."

At that, Ryou looks sharply at Cross and objects, "Cross-san, you are overstepping your boundaries. This is a request from the-"

Takenaka holds a palm up to interrupt Ryou and looks towards Cross. "I understand. That's fine. Then Yagari-san and Kaito-kun will start on Monday then."

Cross smiles and offers, "Alright. Is there anything else I could help you with?"

Takenaka shakes his head and stands up. "No, that is all. Thank you for your cooperation."

Cross also stands up and says cheerfully again, "Of course. Here, let me lead you out."

"That isn't necessary, Cross-san. I would not want to take away from your time."

Cross waves a hand in dismissal and with another bright smile, he rambles, "Oh, no. It's no trouble at all. Actually, we have some beautiful winter flowers in bloom today. There are some you can see on the way to the main entrance of the academy. You know, I had no idea camellias had such a wonderful bloom period."

Yagari sighs and shakes his head. The normal person would want be glad to be done with this taxing conversation. Cross, on the other hand, is offering to lead the man on an impromptu flower tour.

Takenaka pauses, clearly unwilling, but he gestures to the door and says politely, "If you will then."

* * *

Kaname pauses. Something subtly shifts through the room, as fleeting as a stray wind rusting through a wind chime. The pen stills in his fingers. His gaze slides expectantly to the right side of the desk. "Seiren."

She nods and informs him briskly, "Kaname-sama. The council members have arrived."

Kaname sighs. "Very well." He puts down the pen and slides the documents in front of him into a folder. Tapping a finger on the cover, he gazes at it speculatively. It is fortunate that this arrived in time today.

He can already sense the presence of the council members arriving at the school. And of course, with the hunters arriving a little earlier... well, this certainly is an odd sort of rendezvous.

Kaname rests back against the leather chair and closes his eyes. He is not looking forward to this conversation. Slinging arrows for words is not his idea of a favorite pastime and neither is dodging them.

The clear, sharp sound of china plates clinking softly against each other rings out in the air, and the heady, warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifts through the room now.

He opens his eyes and sees Seiren lifting the coffee pot gracefully. She pours the coffee with the same precise finesse that she uses on every assignment, no matter how serious or trivial it is.

Kaname idly wonders if Cross's own meeting is going well when a knock resounds through the door. He gazes expectantly at the door, automatically slipping back into his usual composure. Takuma's voice rings out clearly. "Kaname, the council members are here."

"Please bring them in."

The door opens slowly and Takuma holds the door to let the three council members through. He glances at Kaname in concern before Kaname looks at him reassuringly. Takuma nods discreetly and closes the door with a soft click.

Kaname's eyes rove back to the council members. He expected two at the very most, but this is fine too.

Ichijo is, unsurprisingly, the first one to stride forward undaunted. There is a sharp expression in his eyes and he says tersely, "Kuran-sama."

Kaname gazes back at him before his eyes flick to the others. "Everyone, please have a seat."

One of the councilmembers, Hiruma, a man who appears in his late twenties with chin length, curly dark hair, smiles politely and says, "We apologize for bothering you, but the investigation is a rather important issue."

Kaname nods and responds smoothly, "Of course. How may I help you?

"Perhaps you can recount the details of the events once more," Ichijo answers instead, eyes still observing Kaname shrewdly and hands folded casually in his lap.

Kaname inwardly frowns. It would be a meaningless move, and he isn't going to sit here and recount to them a story for them to nitpick over and interrogate him. Instead, Kaname suggests, "I am certain that my recount has already been transcribed. Perhaps it would be more efficient if you were to ask me about any specific concerns you may have."

He deliberately pauses and remarks casually, "I have to admit, I'm a little curious about this meeting. Has the council not already concluded this matter? Why the need for further investigation?"

Kaname discreetly notices that the other two councilmembers look slightly uncomfortable at his question. Good. It confirms his suspicions that Ichiou is the one who initiated both this meeting and the investigation.

Ichijo replies coolly in the same unflinching tone. "We take our duties very seriously, especially considering the rare remaining pureblood families these days."

At Ichijo's lead, Hiruma nods and adds carefully, "There are some…questions about the conclusion of the initial report."

"Such as?" Kaname presses. It is clear that the others still seem hesitant in pursuing the matter. Which, as Kaname narrows his eyes slightly, is advantageous for him. He only needs to remind them of the troublesome nature of the issue at hand for them to abandon it.

The real obstacle here is Ichiou.

Hiruma continues, "The evidence is circumstantial at best."

The woman sitting next to him, Kugamiya, a tall woman in her late thirties with blond hair pinned neatly in a low bun, speaks up then and elaborates, "Indeed. We would like actual proof that Kiryu Zero is the one who killed Hio-san."

Kaname remarks, "I have given you my account. Is that not enough?"

As expected, Hiruma pauses, unsure on how to answer that without slighting Kaname. Before he or Kugamiya can speak, Ichijo interrupts and asserts flatly, "It is not."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow and remarks, "I do not understand what you want from me. You want evidence, but all I have to offer is my account, which you are not satisfied with. Are you insinuating that my word is not to be trusted or that I am under suspicion for Shizuka's death?"

Hiruma immediately looks slightly alarmed at Kaname's phrasing and quickly moves to correct him. "No, of course not. We merely-"

"Are you involved in Hio-san's death?" Ichijo interrupts, tone sharp and shrewd eyes still observing Kaname's reaction.

Hiruma glances sideways at Ichijo, slightly surprised at his tone. Kugamiya on the other hand, sighs and gracefully reaches for the coffee cup in front of her. "Ichijo-san. Really. That is a bit straightforward of you."

Ichijo ignores her and repeats gravely, "Are you?"

Kaname stares at him unflinchingly, and asks again, "Am I or am I not under investigation for this?"

"And if I said you were?" Ichijo counters, a challenging note in his tone.

"Then, I would question the point of this conversation. You seem to have made your decision regardless of what I say."

Ichijo immediately frowns, displeased at his answer, and remarks, "Do you understand the severity of the issue at hand?"

"I do. Do you? Tell me, is this investigation due to a mutual decision from the council or your own personal motives?" Kaname pushes forward the folder on his desk. He deliberately opens it, flips through the pages so that they can all see that it is the initial report, and stops at the last page, where the official seal of the council is stamped on the report.

He continues loftily, "Because I have been notified that the majority of the council has already closed the case and already accepted the conclusion that they arrived at."

He looks at Ichijo and hands him the folder. There is a flash of irritation in Ichijo's eyes before he reluctantly takes the folder from Kaname, not even sparing it another glance.

"How diligent of you." Ichijo notes dryly and the file dangles carelessly in his hand.

Kaname responds with a slight smile, "As are you. Your fervor in pursuing this is admirable, but the issue is already resolved and the council surely has other issues it must attend to."

Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Hiruma staying silent and Kugamiya looking on with interest.

Unexpectedly however, Ichijo says rather calmly, "Very well. We would not want to make a mountain out of a molehill, after all."

Kaname narrows his eyes at the easy acceptance and surveys Ichijo warily. The man has another card under his sleeve.

Ichijo continues on, his blue eyes glinting, "I will accept the conclusion. Since the evidence points to Kiryu, he will be the one who deals with the proper repercussions then."

Kaname tenses and asks sharply, "What do you mean by that?"

Ichijo smirks slightly as he notices Kaname's reaction and remarks in a decidedly patronizing tone that has Kaname wondering if this is what Ichijo was aiming for all along, "Oh? Why the concern? You know the policy, do you not? The murder of any pureblood is a very serious matter and warrants harsh consequences. Otherwise, how could we perform our duty and reassure purebloods of their safety?"

Kaname stares at him, expression carefully devoid of any emotion. But, the insincerity of it all rankles him. It is so easy to see through Ichijo's pretense. The excuses are thin papier-mâché veneers, and it chafes Kaname to see them draped over something so serious.

Dark irritation carves through his skin, raking its claws through his composure.

The words he uttered to Zero flashes through his mind again. _I'm not treating this as a game, so don't you dare do it either._

And perhaps, he never cared to consider that before, but he does now. Zero isn't a pawn. Kaname won't let him be one. Not after what Zero almost did to himself, not after all the things that were said and revealed that day.

The issue of the bond does not even occur to him as Kaname looks at Ichijo and responds tersely, "It was self-defense."

Seiren places down the coffee pot down soundlessly on the serving tray. She notices the subtle shift in Kaname's aura. It is a little surprising, but Seiren does not question it. Instead, her sharp violet eyes flick to the councilmembers warily as she readies herself in preparation.

It seems that this conversation with the councilmembers is not going well, after all.

Ichijo lifts an eyebrow and says dismissively, "It is still the death of a pureblood, and at the hands of a hunter no less. We will take action." He straightens and moves to get up, the wooden leg of the armchair brushing softly against the plush carpet. "We are done here. We apologize for any conveniences that we may have caused."

Ichio starts walking towards the door, and the other council members, after nodding respectfully to Kaname, follow after him. It is clear that they have made their decision.

Kaname narrows his eyes. Unacceptable. It is unacceptable. Shizuka's death was his fault, and he won't let Zero suffer the consequences for his actions.

Not anymore.

Kaname stands up, the papers rustling at his abrupt movement – Seiren tenses imperceptibly - and his voice slices through the still air like a razor sharp blade, dangerous and authoritative.

" _You will not_."

All three councilmembers instinctively stop. Hiruma shifts uncomfortably at the sudden palpable tension in the room and glances at Ichijo for direction. Kugamiya lifts an eyebrow at Kaname's statement and her eyes flick from him to Ichijo in wariness.

Ichijo neatly turns back to face him again, but his stance is unhesitating and there is only a dissatisfied frown on his face as he regards Kaname patronizingly. He deliberately asks in an accommodating tone, "I beg your pardon, but what is it that we will not do?"

Kaname continues, voice low and warning, "I tire of your charade. You will not take any such action towards Kiryu. It was self-defense and you yourself are aware of this fact. Shizuka came to this academy with clearly dangerous motives, and Kiryu responded accordingly as his duty as a guardian."

Ichijo only stares back at him, face stoic as ever, and remarks coolly, "And any such individual, who can dispose of a pureblood that easily, regardless of the reasons, is a threat. You yourself as a pureblood should be aware of this."

Hiruma nods in agreement and adds, "I also have to agree with Ichijo-san. I am not at ease with having such an individual on the same campus as the rest of the nobles enrolled at this school."

"What was Shizuka's mental state?" Kaname questions abruptly.

Himura pauses and asks unsurely, "I'm sorry? Kuran-san, what do-"

Kaname emphasizes, "Under what category was she classified?"

Ichijo's face immediately tightens as he gazes heavily at Kaname. Himura glances towards Ichijo again before he starts carefully, "Hio-san was…considered mentally unstable."

"And what is the council's usual response towards a mentally unstable pureblood?"

When no one answers, Kaname repeats firmly, voice edged with impatience, "Do I need to repeat myself? What is the council's response towards a mentally unstable pureblood?"

Ichijo gives him another frosty glare. Himura pauses, clearly unwilling to be the unfortunate respondent anymore. Kugamiya sighs before she says straightforwardly, "Isolation. And if need be, under the most extreme circumstances, death."

"That is because such a pureblood is not only dangerous to humans but to fellow vampires as well, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then where is the issue in the way Kiryu handled the situation? Was Shizuka not a threat to both the night class and the day class?" Kaname stares at Ichijo and continues, "You said that because I was a pureblood that I should be the most concerned about this, but it is because of that very same fact that I see no issue in this."

Ichijo brushes him off and says impassively, "We will take your opinion in consideration, but this is a matter for the council to deliberate on."

"Even if I am one of those purebloods that you supposedly protect?"

Ichijo raises an eyebrow and feigns nonchalance, "I do not understand your tone, but yes, even so."

Kaname narrows his eyes ever so slightly, and he says evenly, "The council may take whatever course of action it sees fit. I will do the same."

This time, it is Kugamiya who narrows her teal eyes at him and questions, "Are you threatening us?"

Kaname raises an eyebrow and remarks nonchalantly, "Am I?"

He surveys them and continues in a level voice, "You all are very much aware of the reasons I have for attending this academy. And while I am aware that not everyone shares my opinion, I would like to see the goals of this academy realized. You understand why I would not be so happy if the council intervened and set back all my efforts in furthering this cause, now don't you?"

Ichijo notes with a disparaging frown on his face, "Surely the matter of a single prefect or guardian is not severe enough to affect your own affairs."

"I think you all are aware of the delicate balance between the two races."

Ichijo gives him a sharp, assessing look as he demands, "Is co-existence your only goal here?"

"Is safeguarding purebloods yours?" Kaname counters smoothly before continuing. "I prefer if from now on, the council could conduct its business along the official pathway, especially concerning the academy. If you have a resolution you would like to carry out, please have the proper documentation and authorization and I will cooperate accordingly."

"We will keep that in mind then." Ichijo says stiffly.

Kaname gestures to the door. "Then let me see you out."

* * *

Yuki idly skims her fingers over the waxy, green leaves as she walks by the hedge. They rustle at her touch, and the wind that tousles her hair sweeps by to ripple through the hedge as well. It's a little cool out now.

She tilts her head back to squint at the darkening white gray sky. Streaks of pale pink and violet slash through the heavy gray and Yuki can make out the setting sun.

It's evening then.

Yuki glances sideways at Zero. While it _is_ nice and all to go through the gardens, still it's a little….

"Um, Zero. What are we doing all the way over here?"

Zero has his hands in his pockets as he raises an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean? We're patrolling. Are you sleepwalking now?"

Even as he says it, Zero finds himself covering his mouth to stifle a yawn. His eyes water and he quickly blinks away the sudden teardrops. Damn, he feels exhausted.

This whole week has been terrible. All girls have been coming up to him to ask him about his supposed secret girlfriend, the stupid hickeys, and whatever idiotic things that they think it's ok to annoy him about now.

He can't take it anymore.

Even his usual threat of detention doesn't make them bat an eye anymore. And Zero thinks it says volumes when even his trademark glare does nothing to drive them away. He doesn't think he ever had his patience stretched this thin before.

Or realized just how terrifyingly stubborn these girls are.

Yuki suddenly nudges him and Zero blinks back at her before he remembers her question again. Yuki looks at him exasperated as she huffs, "Hey! It's a valid question." She glances at him again and continues curiously, "We usually don't go this far into the gardens."

Zero shrugs and repeats again, "We're patrolling."

Yuki looks unconvinced at the answer, but she shrugs and runs her fingers through the hedge once more, apparently not interested enough to press him for an explanation.

Actually, Zero wondered when she would realize that they were pretty much walking over every inch of the school grounds. Hell, it's more of a field trip than a patrol at this point.

He frowns. It's necessary though. Kaname's meeting, Cross's meeting, both of them are today and knowing Yuki, it's just better to have her away from the main building, the Moon Dorms.

So hence the gardens.

Zero shakes his head and brushes aside a dangling branch absentmindedly. Even if there is nothing around them right, aside from the clusters of pink and white blossoms and the occasional squirrel, he still can't seem to shake off the anxiousness that he woke up with today.

The restlessness blends in with the slow drag of his exhaustion. It sits uncomfortably over him like uneven static crackling through his skin. It makes all of his hunter senses stand on end, his muscles taut with tension.

Off. Something just feels off.

Zero frowns and surveys the area around them once again. Great. This is going to nag at him until the day is over.

Yuki frowns at Zero's discomforted expression and asks, a little worried. "Zero? Is there something wrong?"

Zero shrugs as they continue walking. "Not really."

She pauses and surveys him critically. He shifts uncomfortably and grumbles, "I'm fine, Yuki."

Yuki does not drop the topic, probably because she knows him well enough by now, and continues, "You seem…restless."

He shrugs again and comments offhandedly, "You're imagining things."

At that, Yuki lightly bumps him in the shoulder for that remark. She narrows her eyes in growing suspicion and insists, "I am not! You keep glancing around every so often. And shifting."

"I…I'm just hungry," Zero offers, cringing inwardly at the completely unconvincing words.

Yuki apparently thinks the same because she shakes her head to complain, "You know, Zero, you could have at least tried to make an excuse."

He grumbles, "I don't want to hear this from the girl who said she overslept to her teacher when she was late to class."

"One time. That was one time," Yuki objects, eyes widening indignantly.

Zero says absently as they round another bend in the gardens. "If you say so."

His eyes rove across the neatly trimmed hedges and mentally gauges the distance they are from the main building of the school. Maybe they should start heading back now. The sky is darkening now, and it's not that safe either to be wandering around the far edge of the school grounds either.

He wonders if Cross's meeting with the new president is done by now. Well, they could just skirt the main building to go to the Day Dorm then.

With that decided, Zero nods towards one of the pathways to start heading back to the main building. Yuki blinks at him before she follows.

They are walking in silence for several minutes when Yuki suddenly asks, "So?"

When she does not elaborate, Zero glances at her and asks confusedly, "So what?"

Yuki giggles and tilts her head to the side with a mischievous gleam to her eyes. She asks deliberately slowly, "How did things go with Kaname-senpai?"

Zero blinks, caught off guard by the sudden question, and stammers, "W-what? Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

Yuki grins and says cheerfully, "Because."

He pulls a face and looks at her a little incredulously. Because? Because of what?

Lately, he's been feeling that he isn't just on different pages with everyone else, but that they all might as well be reading different novels. Damn, this week has been completely getting to him. All of those stupid questions from those girls, and now this?

Zero inwardly sighs. Why is everyone trying so hard to remind him of things he doesn't want to think about? He didn't ask for an intervention; he'd actually like to keep his goddamned self-denial.

He scowls and says brusquely, "He just wanted to talk about stuff."

"Such as?"

He glances at her, exasperated. "Why are you even asking about this?"

Yuki snickers at his response before she says teasingly, "You don't have to be embarrassed, Zero." Yuki spins half around, skirt slight billowing out as she does so, to look at him. "See? I told you. Kaname-senpai isn't as bad as you think he is."

Zero doesn't know if Yuki's doing it on purpose or if it's just one of the many bonuses of this terrible week, but this isn't a conversation he wants to continue.

He makes a noncommittal sound. Zero inwardly sighs and hopes Yuki knows well enough to change topics.

She doesn't, and he fights the urge to smack his forehead against a wall or something.

Yuki grins and presses, "I'm glad you guys are friends now."

Zero grimaces. He doesn't know what the hell he and Kaname are anymore, but 'friends' doesn't quite capture the what-the-hell-is-even-happening aspect of their situation.

Or the whole we're-bonded-now thing either.

Zero gives Yuki another exasperated look and grumbles, "Yuki. I don't ever remember saying that."

"See? This is why the girls keep calling you a tsundere," She teases, lips curving in another amused smile.

Zero makes a face and asks, "A what? What the hell is that?"

Yuki hums and shrugs as she skips a little ahead. "You know."

He furrows his eyebrows and retorts, "No. I don't know. And stop listening to them. Stupidity is contagious, and you're already as airheaded as it is."

Yuki stops then and turns to him with an indignant expression. She has her hands on her hips as she protests, "Hey! I take offense to that!"

She reaches out to pinch him in the arm. Zero immediately twists away and says, "Sure, whatever you say." Yuki purses her lips, and without any warning, her fingers dart out to pinch his forearm again.

Zero steps away from her, rubbing at his arm. "Alright. I get it. I - Geez- You- Stop pinching me!" He gripes, glaring at her.

Yuki pauses at that, finally satisfied at his reaction.

He rolls his eyes and mutters, "And while, we're on the subject on stopping things and idiots, do something about those girls too, won't you? They keep giggling whenever I pass all week long and I swear to god, Yuki, they're getting on my last nerve."

Yuki widens her eyes and declares in dismay, "It's troublesome for me too, Zero! Do you have any idea what kind of questions they keep asking me in class all week?"

She pauses suddenly, and her cheeks flush a bright pink before she adds, "It's so embarrassing. And weird."

He raises an eyebrow and comments, "I don't want to know then. But do something."

Yuki stares incredulously and waves a hand in the air to emphasize her words, "I can't! Since when have they listened to me?"

"If nothing changes, I'm not going to class changeover over anymore."

She stops walking and turns to look back at him, eyes wide and aghast. "Zero! You can't do that!"

"Watch me."

She frowns unhappily before she challenges, "If you leave me to do that by myself again, I'm going to…." Yuki stops and bites her lips as she struggles to think of a viable threat.

Zero snorts with amusement. "To what?"

Yuki nudges him in the arm for that and continues hotly, "I'll come up with something. Like…like I'll bother you for the entire day nonstop if you skip the changeover."

He raises an eyebrow. "Don't you already do that?"

She glares at him and challenges, "I do not! Do you want to bet?"

"…No."

At that, she purses her lips again and gives him a pointed look. She is about to lecture him again before her eyes widen. She tugs on Zero's sleeve, startling him, and drags him over to one of the flower bushes. "Ooh, look at the flowers over here! They're so pretty!"

"Mmn." Zero glances over the bright pink blossoms in disinterest before he looks down at Yuki and frowns. "You know, you really need to stop pulling my sleeve."

She brushes her finger across the petals and asks distractedly, "Hmm? What sleeve?"

Zero looks at her blankly before he gives up and sighs.

She's still leaning down and gazing at the flowers, the strands of her hair gleaming a fiery auburn under the disappearing sunlight, when Yuki suddenly says softly, "You know, I'm glad."

Zero blinks in confusion. "What do you mean?"

She straightens and tilts her head to look at him, a gentle smile on her lips and wide red-brown eyes soft and radiant in their sincerity. "I'm glad that you're more like yourself lately. And I'm glad you're getting along with Kaname-senpai. You both are very important to me."

Zero stills, taken aback by her words that linger with the brisk wind. It's suddenly hard to swallow, and he doesn't know what he's supposed to do with the glaring honesty in her words. "Yuki…"

His voice trails off. He doesn't know what to say, and for some inexplicable reason, his skin prickles with unease when Zero wonders how she would react if he told her the truth about him and Kaname.

Yuki does not notice his reaction though. She's staring off into the distance and notes, "Hey! I can see the main building from here now." Yuki turns towards him, an excited gleam in her eyes as she grins. "I'll race you!"

Zero gapes, still bewildered, half-formed thoughts still racing through his mind. "I – Oi! Wait! Yuki! Don't just go off on your own like that!"

But, Yuki is already sprinting ahead, the heels of her boots clicking against the smooth cobblestone of the pathway. Zero blinks again before he gives up on thinking and chases after her.

* * *

Takenaka remarks, grey eyes observant and shrewd. "What a coincidence. Cross-san, care to explain the presence of so many distinguished vampires on campus today?"

Cross blinks, a little alarmed at the sudden gathering at the front gate. Strange…He thought he timed it perfectly for them to both exit at different times.

Ichijo is standing in front of Takenaka, with the two council members standing behind him. Kaname is standing off to the side with Seiren at his side and exchanges a wary glance with Cross when he looks towards him.

Oh dear. He mistimed things then. He had thought that surely, the meeting with the council would have ended earlier. Cross smiles cheerfully and says lightly, "It seems like today was the day for meetings."

Before the president can respond back to him, Ichijo interrupts and asks coolly, "And who might you be?"

Takenaka looks back at him and responds calmly, "Takenaka Masato. The new president of the Hunter's Association."

Ichijo raises an eyebrow. "New? I wasn't aware that the association had a change in administration."

Takenaka's expression tightens and he says brusquely, "Nor should you. The internal affairs of the association do not concern the council."

Ichijo raises an eyebrow at his frankness before he frowns as well and remarks curtly, "Of course not."

"What is your purpose in visiting here, councilman?"

Ichijo stares at Takenaka warily before remarking, "I could ask the same about you, president."

Takenaka does not even pause and says matter-of-factly, "Analyzing the security of this academy."

"What a coincidence. So were we," Ichijo announces flatly.

Takenaka stares at him and his voice deepens in warning, "I would advise the council against taking any reckless actions here. You'll find that my administration will not be as forgiving or lenient as the last one."

Ichijo smirks slightly and comments loftily, "Is that so? For a first introduction, you seem already wary, Takenaka-san."

"I have a good reason to."

Ichijo frowns, suspicious. "What are you implying?"

Takenaka lifts an eyebrow and says harshly, "Exactly what I said. The activities of my predecessor are not a secret to me."

Ichijo narrows his eyes, and his voice has a dangerous undertone to it as he states, "I do not know what you are trying to imply, but I suggest you think very wisely before making any accusations."

* * *

Zero is about to yell at Yuki again to stop running when a sudden scream pierces through the air.

He stills. The shrill sound grates against his nerves and distorts the space in his ears. It immediately prickles his skin, leaving a painful wake of goosebumps behind. Adrenaline streaks through him, blood thrumming underneath his skin. His fingers are already tensing on the Bloody Rose.

In front of him, he can see Yuki stopping as well and looking around them in alarm. He narrows his eyes and surveys the area carefully.

He furrows his eyebrows as the faint sounds of someone crying carry through the still space of the garden.

Over there. To his right.

Before he can tell Yuki to stay back, she's already racing off in the direction that she sees him staring in. Zero widens his eyes briefly before he darts after her. The hedges blur in an endless green as he only focuses on the flash of brown hair and black uniform in front of him.

"Yuki! Stop!" He yells, heartbeat thundering in his ears.

Blood.

The sharp tang of copper wafts up and shit, that can't be anything good. Yuki. He needs to grab Yuki.

Zero narrows his eyes as he turns around the bend. He lunges forward and yanks Yuki back by the back of her blazer.

She yelps and struggles in his grip. "Zero! Let go! Look!"

Zero is already gazing in that direction and ignores Yuki's yells. He roughly shoves her behind him and cocks the gun. There is a girl on her knees, leaning over a boy lying on the grass.

Vampire. The girl is a vampire. She isn't a Level E; he can see the uniform on her.

Zero narrows his eyes. Night Class then. It doesn't matter. There's a kid on the ground, and it's not hard to arrive at the conclusion that he comes up with.

He lifts up the gun and points it towards her and demands, "Move away from him!"

Yuki tugs at him and he shoulders her back, all the while keeping a firm grip on the gun. She tugs at him again and yells, "No, wait, Zero! She's one of the students."

His eyes flick again to the blond haired girl who's staring at them now.

Her eyes are a bright crimson, but tears are streaming down her cheeks. She has her hands pressed to the guy's stomach, which Zero sees now is to stop the bleeding from the deep wound. The girl widens her eyes in panic and terror as she cries out in desperation, "H-help! Help. Oh, god, help. I-I can't stop the bleeding!"

Zero hears a sharp intake of breath behind him before Yuki darts under his arm and races straight towards the girl.

Zero widens his eyes as his body reflexively moves forwards. That _idiot_ …"Yuki!"

Yuki kneels down towards the girl and the girl turns to her. Zero's fingers are already on the trigger in preparation, but the girl only stammers, voice hysterical, "T-there's so much blood. Oh g-god. I swear, I didn't do it! I didn't."

Yuki is gazing down at the unconscious, injured student, eyes flicking over the wounds as she says soothingly, "It's ok. You're ok. We're not accusing you of anything." She bites her lips and looks up at Zero with wide panicked eyes. "He's bleeding so much."

Zero glances at the girl who still has her hands pressed on the injury, eyes still wide with shock and fear. He lowers his gun and hurries over instead. He nudges Yuki aside and says tensely, "Here. Let me do it. Radio the infirmary."

Yuki blinks before she immediately stands up and pulls out the walkie talkie. "Right!"

Zero takes a deep breath and steels himself against the strong smell of blood swirling thickly in the air. He quickly slips off his blazer and presses it against the wound. He winces slightly when he feels the sticky, warm crimson seeping through the dark cotton.

Shit.

The girl lifts her hands to pull away, but he orders, "Keep applying pressure there."

She nods and immediately presses her hands against the blazer. Zero demands as he searches for more injuries, "Tell me what happened. If you didn't do it, then who did?"

Zero cusses under his breath when he finds a wound on the throat. It looks like bite marks.

He hurriedly tears off a swath from his sleeve and bunches it up to press it against the wound. "Yuki! When are they coming?"

Yuki kneels down and helps applies pressure to the stomach as she says hurriedly, "In a few minutes!"

Zero curses again. He can hear the guy's heartbeat and it sounds a little thready. Damn it. The guy's going die from blood loss if help doesn't come soon enough.

He glances at the girl who is still staring down at the guy in fear. Zero doesn't remember her name, but she definitely is one of the students in the Night Class. He presses her again, "Tell me what happened."

Yuki frowns and is about to protest before Zero gives her a pointed look.

The girl furrows her eyebrows and answers shakily, "I-We were walking, I think…I'm not sure. I can't remember."

Zero narrows his eyes and asks warily, "You can't remember?"

"I-No. Yahiro and I were just walking around the gardens. Or I think we were. And the next thing I knew, I-I was lying on the floor. A-and Yahiro was on the floor, b-bleeding." The girl looks at him desperately and pleads, "Oh god, is he going to be ok? Please tell me he's ok!"

Zero pauses. It's… suspicious that she can't remember anything, but the fear and concern in her eyes is real. She obviously knows this guy, even if he is from the Day Class.

And when Zero examines the both of them closer, they have various scrapes and cuts on their hands and limbs. The girl herself has a long gash down the side of her leg that is slowly healing.

What the hell happened here?

Yuki looks at her and says gently, "It'll be fine. Calm down."

Zero asks, "Did you see anyone else aro-"

A loud, thundering boom rumbles off in the distance. Zero stills. That…that sounds like it's coming from the front of the school.

Pain suddenly slashes through the left side of his neck. He winces and inhales sharply. The white-hot burn mercilessly sears his skin, his nerves, his thoughts. He can't tell. All he can concentrate on is how unbearably scalded his neck feels.

Wrong. Wrong. Something feels incredibly wrong.

The feeling of wrongness sets into him, hollow and incredibly unsettling. It's like someone strummed through the strings in his nerves and snapped one off because the vibration that runs through jars him to the core and his mind is chanting wrongwrongwrong.

Something isn't right. Wrong. Wrong.

Zero thinks Yuki is yelling at him because her mouth is open and her eyes are wide with concern, but he can't hear her at all. All he hears is his heartbeat resounding eerily loud in his ears. He feels his stomach plummeting and his heart thumping erratically, the jagged pulses that vibrate through his fingertips and threaten to rip through his skin.

He inhales again, hoping to calm himself down. But, he finds that he can't take any more than a shallow breath as his chest tightens involuntarily.

Shit. What the fuck? Heart attack? Is he having heart attack or something?

He swallows in growing alarm and suddenly the sensation disappears. He blinks. What? What?

Instinctively, he looks towards the sound from earlier.

Yuki leans forwards, face suddenly appearing in his field of vision. She repeats again, more urgently now. "Zero? What's wrong? Are you ok? What - what was that noise?"

Zero turns and sees Yuki and the girl gazing at him in worry and panic. He blinks, a little shaken, before he grimaces and says in a strained voice, "Everyone, just….just stay still and don't move."

* * *

Kaname frowns. Cross stands between Ichijo and Takenaka as he tries to coax them to end the sharp exchange of words and calm down.

This really isn't the outcome he wanted.

He glances over at Takenaka. Not much is known about the man, but both his attitude right now and the way he acquired his new position are both causes for concern. The new hunter president is certainly not someone to take lightly, and Kaname sees the same sentiment reflected in Ichijo's displeased expression.

More players to the chessboard that Kaname is no longer sure he is in charge of.

He inwardly frowns. He needs to be more careful. He cannot afford to make reckless decisions now that both the council and the association seem adamant in pursuing their own agendas.

Cross is waving his hands cheerfully in the air as he leads both the hunters and council members towards their respective cars parked on the curb in front of the gate. He is about to reach towards the metal gate to push it open when Kaname suddenly hears a metallic beep.

Kaname only has a split second to wonder at the peculiarity of the sound before all of his instincts blare with the undeniable sense of danger.

Cross tenses as well and barely has enough time to yell "Everyone, get back!" before orange fire bellows out in front of them in a cloud of scorching heat and black ash. Kaname's vision is colored with the scarlet orange flames before he instinctively jumps back. He senses more than sees the rustle of fabric as someone moves in front of him.

Seiren.

Reflexively, he grips Seiren roughly and wrenches both of them to his far right away from the gate just as a rush of scorching heat fans out and whips against his skin. They fall heavily down and his knees scrape painfully against the roughed cracks of the cobblestone.

He thinks Seiren is insisting for him to let her go, but whatever she says is swallowed by the sudden sound of glass shattering. The roar of another explosion thunders blasts through the air.

He instinctively ducks down. The sound of metal screeching against the asphalt grates against his ears. Oppressive heat swarms over him, heavy and suffocating.

Pieces of jagged shrapnel fly in every which way. Metal clanks down noisily down on the ground and scratches against the pavement. Nondescript pieces slice their way into his skin, white thin lines of pain burning into his flesh.

Something dully hits his left temple. The sudden harsh throb of pain has Kaname blinking in disorientation and wincing in discomfort.

The sounds fade into indistinct noises, except for his thundering heartbeat, the quick rush and thud of his blood pulsing through his veins. He automatically tenses.

Nothing runs through his mind as his instincts take over and his senses are honed on the next sign of danger.

The smell of steel and gasoline saturates the air, bitter as the taste of ash on his tongue. The noxious fumes make his eyes water, and Kaname grimaces. He tenses again, apprehensive, but he hears only another slow groan of metal and the dry rasp and crackle of flames.

Kaname waits for a moment before he slowly gets up and gazes around.

Fiery smoke and dust billows out in front of the main gate, the red orange tongues of fire licking into the air. Blackened, charred clouds rise up to disappear into the slate gray sky. The metal bars of the gate are twisted and bent inwards from the full force of the explosion. A part of it collapses with a shrill clang, and the door of the gate itself hangs off the hinges, the metal creaking.

Out on the street, a half torn car door is flung away from the charred remains of what it looks like the cars that were parked there before.

His eyes flick immediately to his left where everyone else is.

Cross is standing up with an uncharacteristic grim frown on his face as he gazes at the damage. There are bloody gashes along his arms and legs. Yagari is sitting down with a knee propped up and the other leg stretched out with similar injuries. He has a frown on his face while Kaito is crouching down with his head between his hands as he cusses aloud.

The councilmembers are a little to his right. They also have various wounds and injuries – Himura looks like he has a particularly harsh wound on his shoulder – but everyone, more or less, is fine. Ichijo himself is frowning heavily and narrowing his eyes towards the explosion.

The president has a similar expression on his face as Ryou helps him up. They also have various scrapes and wounds – Ryou has a particularly bloody knee and cheek- but like the rest, they do not seem to be fatal.

Kaname hazards that the stone brick wall connected to the gate probably helped shield them from the brunt of the explosion.

Seiren suddenly appears in front of his gaze, her pale eyes already examining Kaname for any possible injuries. His eyes catch on her torn sleeve. A long gash runs along her forearm. Bright red rivulets of blood stream down her skin and fingers.

She only frowns though and asks urgently, "Kaname-sama, are you alright?"

He has to blink for a moment because there is still a dull throb in his head and his ears are still ringing before he finally manages to speak aloud, "Yes, I'm fine."

Seiren opens her mouth to say something before a surprised voice interrupts her, "What is this?"

Kaname immediately turns around to see a woman standing next to him adorned in a white coat, black hair twisted in a messy bun with two pencils. Two other individuals stand behind her, staring in alarm at the scene.

It takes a minute for him to remember that this is the school nurse.

Her eyes shrewdly assess the situation as she asks, "What happened here? An explosion?" She suddenly stops herself and glances to her left towards the gardens and mutters, "No. We don't have time for this. Fukui, stay here and see if anyone is injured."

The younger assistant next to her blinks before she says quickly, "Yes!"

The woman nods and she motions towards the other assistant behind her. "We're going!"

Kaname watches as they suddenly turn and start sprinting towards the gardens.

Cross calls out in concern as he notices them running, "Izumi-san! What happened?"

She yells without stopping, "Two students were injured!"

Cross quickly makes his way towards Kaname and turns towards the other nurse standing next to him. "Fukui-san, what happened?"

She frowns and says quietly, "I don't know the full story. The prefects called it in. They found two students injured while patrolling. One from the Day Class and one from the Night Class."

Kaname stills. The prefects? Then…He raises his eyes back and stares off towards the gardens with apprehension.

Cross frowns but before he can say anything, Takenaka speaks up, voice deep and stern, as he stares at the nurse. "What did you say? Two students are injured?"

Cross glances warily at Takenaka, who seemingly comes to a decision and nods to Ryou. They suddenly turn and start walking over in that direction.

Cross narrows his eyes briefly as he calls out in clear disapproval, "Takenaka-san. It is best to let the nurses alone to do their job."

Takenaka makes no sign of listening and the two disappear into the gardens. Kaname inwardly frowns, but when Ichijo suddenly starts walking in that direction with Kugamiya and Hiruma, he frowns outright and warns, "Ichiou. Please heed the headmaster."

Ichijo turns and says patronizingly, "Kuran-sama. Did you not hear? There were two students who were injured. One from the Day Class and one from the _Night Class_." He turns back and continues walking. "Takenaka-san does not strike me as a particularly cooperative individual."

Kaname narrows his eyes. If he lets the both of them do whatever they want, it would be strange if a fight _didn't_ break out. Not to mention if the prefects are the ones who called in the incident, then Yuki and Zero are already involved in this.

Things are getting alarmingly messy. Someone is rummaging through the chess pieces and flinging them every which way. This was deliberate. The timing of the meetings, the sudden explosions, the appearance of a new president, all of it is too convenient to be random.

Kaname tenses. He does not appreciate being entangled in someone else's spider web, and he won't let Yuki and Zero be implicated in it either.

Seiren watches Kaname for a moment before she asks quietly, "Kaname-sama?"

He frowns, russet eyes unknowingly flashing in irritation. "Check the surrounding area for anyone suspicious. See if you can find anything about the explosion."

Seiren briefly nods before she darts off and Kaname starts moving towards the gardens. Cross turns to him then, surprised. "Kaname-kun – "

Kaname cuts him off and gives him a meaningful stare, but provides only, "The council is my responsibility, Chairman."

Cross pauses and stares after all of them in bewilderment.

Yagari, somehow already with another cigarette dangling from his lips, comments, "If you don't follow after them, something else might catch on fire, Cross." He exhales the smoke and continues, "Kaito and I will have a look around."

Cross glances at him and smiles wearily. "Good thing I renewed the fire insurance on the school, isn't it?"

Yagari blows out the smoke and makes a noise of agreement, already staring critically at the charred marks out on the street outside the gate.

Cross sighs. "Well, then. Fukui-san, shall we go?"

* * *

Izumi quickly bends downs and carefully assesses the wound on the boy's stomach. She nods to Zero and says, "Good job keeping the bleeding under control." She glances at the boy's face before she mutters under her breath, "Ishihara-kun, isn't it?"

Izumi starts wrapping the bandages around the area as she calls out, "Honda. He's blood type A."

Zero watches as Honda, a man in his early twenties in light green scrubs, push up his round glasses as he digs through the container and pulls out a blood bag. He quickly slips in an IV into Ishihara's arm as he keeps the blood bag steady.

Izumi frowns as she peers at the wound at his neck. "How long until the ambulance comes?"

"Two minutes!"

She nods and applies pressure to the neck injury. "Kiryu-kun, is it? How long has it been since you found him?"

Zero looks at her and says, "Ten minutes. But he was already like this when we got here."

Izumi frowns again. "Ok. His heartbeat isn't as strong as I would like to be."

At that, the girl darts forward, away from Yuki, and tugs at Izumi's sleeve, eyes panicked. "But he's fine right? Please tell me he'll be ok."

Izumi glances at her, eyes roving over the girl's injuries. She remarks, "Hayami, correct?" The girl nods, and she continues, "Are there any injuries that are bothering you right now?"

Before Hayami can answer, someone suddenly demands, "Girl, step away from the boy."

Zero looks up to see a man pointing his gun towards them. He immediately straightens, hand already on his own weapon. His eyes narrow.

Isn't he a hunter?

Zero's gaze slides to the right of the hunter where an older man is standing and looking down at the scene with a heavy frown…Could that be the new president?

Yuki suddenly steps in front of the girl and spreads her arms out to stop the hunter, eyes determined. "She didn't do anything!"

Zero grits his teeth. That idiot…

He quickly positions himself in front of Yuki and Hayami, subtly forcing them to take a step back. Zero tenses, hand still on the Bloody Rose just in case, as he stares unflinchingly back at the hunter.

The hunter furrows his eyebrows, his blue-green eyes flicking over their uniforms. "Are you two the prefects then?"

Zero is about to answer when his instincts suddenly flare. Vampires. Heading their way.

He gazes warily ahead, beyond the two hunters, and sees what looks like three councilmembers coming closer.

Zero scowls. All that effort to keep Yuki away from the troublesome visitors today, and they all come waltzing over here. What the hell are Cross and Kaname even doing?

He narrows his eyes as he notices the torn clothing and injuries on all of them. His mind flashes back to the loud noise from earlier.

Was there an accident or something? What the heck happened out there?

One of the council members, a man with curly dark hair, narrows his eyes at the scene. He walks straight up to the hunter and his hand darts out to grip the gun in place. He demands darkly, "Lower that weapon."

The hunter lifts an eyebrow and he glares coldly back at the man.

Zero can practically feel the animosity crackling dangerously between the two. Shit, are these two actually going to fight?

Before anyone can do anything, a young woman suddenly pushes through them with wide eyes and short, wavy ash brown hair. "Please move aside!" She barely glances back at the two men that she just interrupted and instead glances towards the girl who is still kneeling down next to Izumi. "Are you ok?"

Izumi looks pensive as she has her fingers still over Ishihara's wrist. "Honda. How's the bleeding on the stomach?"

Honda, still holding the blood bag upright in one hand, immediately checks the bandages. "Good."

Izumi nods as she continues to apply pressure on the neck wound. "Fukui."

"Yes!"

"Prepare the oxygen mask." Izumi pauses and finally takes in the sudden crowd around the students. She scowls and orders sharply, "Anyone who is not injured get the fuck out of my sight."

Zero wisely notes the irritation in her tone and reaches out to tug at Yuki and the girl. The girl blinks and opens her mouth to protest until he nods towards the nurse. Yuki understands his message and gently pulls the girl aside and says quietly, "We should let them do their job."

The girls bites her lips and after glancing again at Ishihara, she reluctantly nods and steps back with Yuki. When everyone else refuses to back away though, Zero catches the sudden narrowing of deep blue eyes and the bright gleam of metal flashing in the air.

Everyone blinks at the two scalpels thrown precisely in between both the hunter and the councilman's feet. Izumi readjusts the cloth and emphasizes with a dangerous lilt in her voice. " _Now_."

Zero raises an eyebrow, impressed by the woman's fearlessness.

The other two apparently think the same because after exchanging another glare, the hunter lowers down the weapon and returns back to the side of the president and the councilman steps back towards the others.

Zero relaxes slightly. He doesn't know what the hell he would have done if a fight did break out.

"EMS coming through!"

There is a creak of metal and the sound of wheels thudding over the sandy, uneven surface of the walkway before two men in blue and white striped jackets come into view. They are running towards them and pulling a gurney forwards. Seeing the student lying on the ground, the men come and immediately kneel down as Izumi quickly informs them of Ishihara's vitals and condition.

Zero stares, unwillingly fascinated by the efficiency of the two technicians as they carefully lift Ishihara's body onto the gurney.

"Are you all alright?"

Zero blinks and turns around to see Cross appearing next to him with Kaname as well. He furrows his eyebrows. He should be the one asking that question.

Both Cross and Kaname have injuries that are similar to the ones he noticed on the others. Zero frowns. Seriously, what the hell happened out there?

His eyes flick over Kaname's face. There are gashes and cuts along his arms and his legs, but Zero can see that they are already healing. Still, the sight of the blood stained and ripped clothing isn't exactly reassuring to look at.

He suddenly stills as a sudden thought emerges. That pain that he felt from earlier…could it be…

Zero widens his eyes. Kaname looks questioningly at whatever expression he must be making now. Zero swallows and shakes his head slightly. Definitely not the time or place to be talking to Kaname about this.

Besides him, Zero feels Yuki freezing in alarm at the sight of Cross and Kaname. She inhales sharply and asks in shock, "W-what happened to you two?"

Cross smiles reassuringly at her and says lightly, "An accident of sorts. We're all fine though, Yuki."

Zero can see Kaname tensing slightly at the answer though, so clearly that is an understatement. Yuki realizes it too because she looks warily at Cross.

Cross grins then and says teasingly, "Oh? Is this concern I see for your dear papa?" He looks at Zero and continues blithely, "Zero, aren't you going to ask about my health and well-being too-"

Zero looks flatly at him, partly incredulous that Cross can joke at a time like this but mostly exasperated at the man's antics. He interrupts, "Didn't you say you were just fine, chairman?"

Cross widens his eyes in mock hurt, but before he can start lamenting on Zero's cruel treatment, Izumi strides past them, brushing shoulders with Cross.

She orders, white coat flying out behind her like a war banner as she hurries after the EMTs. "Oi. I'm coming along with them. So no one else better get injured while I'm gone, understood?"

Izumi sighs and then adds, all without breaking a stride. "And all you idiots remember to stop by the infirmary after this is all done."

Cross smiles them, amused at her attitude, and answers, "Of course, Izumi-san."

Not looking back, Izumi waves a hand in the air as she calls out, "Honda! You're in charge of the infirmary."

"Yes!" Honda turns towards Hayami, taking in her trembling and injuries, and says calmly, "Please follow me."

Hayami looks hesitant, but after Yuki nods in agreement, she silently nods.

Zero frowns as the hunter from earlier steps forward and blocks Honda. "Hold on a minute. We have questions for that girl."

The councilman scowls and steps forward. "We will not accept that request. You hunters do not have the right to interrogate the poor girl."

"That does not matter. A human was injured, and a vampire was on scene."

Honda interrupts them as he says politely but firmly, "I am sorry. I cannot. She is injured. The health of the patient comes first."

Fukui glances hesitantly towards Cross with a question in her light gray eyes. "Cross-san."

Cross smiles kindly at them and announces approvingly, "Well said, Honda-kun. After all, she is a student and in need of medical care. Anything else can wait." He gestures towards the main building and steps to the side. "Honda-kun, please proceed."

There is a warning hint despite his pleasant tone, and no one comes forward to challenge him.

Cross hums before turning to face all of them with a sharp gleam in his eyes even as he says smilingly, "As for everyone else, please come to my office. We can discuss things there."

* * *

Kaname frowns slightly as he steps into Cross's office. His gaze immediately slides to Yuki who is fidgeting a little nervously.

He is not happy.

He wanted any attention to be deflected away from Yuki, and somehow the events today have reflected it back towards her. The council members are more occupied with the hunters right now, but the rising tension in the room is not anything to be thankful for either.

Kaname glances at Zero who is standing next to her. There is blood staining his shirt, which he assumes is from the two students. Zero has his usual scowl in place until he seems to notice Kaname's gaze. Zero looks up at him then, lilac eyes roving Kaname's face briefly before another disconcerted expression crosses his features.

Zero's reaction alarms Kaname, but he maintains his composure. He can ask Zero about it later. There are other things he needs to focus on right now, such as…

His eyes flick over to where the president and Ichijo are standing tensely, facing each other in front of Cross's desk. It quite honestly is a stalemate, and Cross's office is too small to house the unspoken accusations and suspicions between the two.

Cross looks over both of them tiredly before he gestures to the armchairs in front of the desk as well as the two sofas facing the coffee table in the center of the room. "Everyone, please take a seat."

No one does.

Cross sighs then and decides not to press it. A serious expression settles over his features as he glances over Zero and Yuki standing to his side. Cross asks patiently, "Zero, Yuki. Would you please tell me what exactly happened?"

Yuki glances back at Zero before she turns back to face Cross. She says hesitantly, "We heard a scream when we were patrolling in the gardens. And when we got there, Hayami-san was kneeling down over Ishihara-san."

The man next to the president, Ryou if Kaname can recall correctly, scoffs derisively. "Is an investigation even needed here then?"

With those words, Kaname can feel the tension crackling dangerously in the air, a spark of electricity waiting to be discharged.

Yuki widens her eyes and protests, "No! She was just trying to stop him from bleeding."

Her declaration rings out in the air. Everyone turns to look at her, and Kaname reflexively tenses at that. Zero also stiffens next to Yuki, and his eyes sharpen in alertness. Yuki blinks, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden attention, before determination shines in her eyes and she says more firmly, "Hayami-san did not hurt him. She was panicking when she saw that Ishihara-san was injured."

Ryou raises an eyebrow and says unconvinced, "That is naïve of you. How can you be certain that she did not do that because she saw you coming?"

Himura speaks up, voice cold. "That is a baseless accusation, hunter."

"Is it?"

Himura looks sharply at him and demands, "Do you have proof?"

Cross clears his throat before either of them can argue any further and says calmly, "Gentleman, please." He nods towards Yuki and gives her an encouraging smile. "Yuki-chan, please continue."

Yuki bites her lips before she continues, "Zero and I helped her to stop the bleeding."

The president asks in a level voice, "Did the girl say anything?"

Yuki immediately looks uneasy as she falters, "She um-"

Zero interrupts then, a stony expression on his face, as he recounts tersely, "She said she woke up in the garden and the first thing she saw was Ishihara lying next to her bleeding. The rest is what you all saw."

Ichijo speaks up then, voice measured and warning. "It does not matter what she says. Anyone after such an event, would be disoriented, and I advise you all to refrain from making any conclusions before the girl can provide a more coherent account."

"Are you playing us for a fool?" Ryou says with a disdainful glare towards Ichijo.

Takenaka raises a hand to calm Ryou down as he gauges Ichijo and asks. "Would that account be made under your supervision?"

Ichijo narrows his eyes and responds frigidly, "Of course. She is a minor."

The president frowns and asserts firmly, "Then I refuse to accept such an account. The Hunters' Association will carry out their own investigation, with or without the council's interference. The circumstances are too suspicious, and they only confirm my previous concerns."

"Suspicious? The only thing suspicious that I see here is that the same hunter who murdered Shizuka-san is on the same scene," Hiruma retorts.

At that, Kaname gives Hiruma a stern look as he reproaches him, momentarily diverting everyone's attention as he does so, "Councilman, please."

Takenaka glances at Kaname curiously for a moment before he focuses on Ichijo again. "Are you now transferring the blame onto a hunter now? One who performed only his duty?"

Hiruma answers him instead, irritation creasing his face. "I'm starting to have an issue with what you hunters are defining as duty."

"And we have an issue with your principles in general," Ryou challenges with another condescending glare towards Hiruma.

Cross clears his throat and smiles placidly, but there is a slight edge to his tone now as he says, "Now I know you two are very energetic, but please let's keep this conversation civil."

He stares straight at the president and Ichijo, hazel eyes unwavering and shrewd. "Two students of mine were injured, not to mention the sudden explosion near the main building. Thankfully, no one else was injured. I agree that this needs investigation, and the academy will cooperate fully."

"However," Cross gives both of them a meaningful look and continues, "I would like to remind everyone that all students here are to treated fairly and unbiased."

"At this point, are you in a position to say that?" Ryou remarks.

Cross smiles at that and says lightly, "Well, I am still the headmaster of the academy."

Before anyone can say anything else, the wooden doors swing open and Yagari, Kaito, and Seiren all step in. Seiren quietly makes her way straight to Kaname and stands next to him.

Yagari and Kaito on the other hand walk up to Cross's desk. Cross looks up at them and asks curiously, "Were you able to find out anything?"

Yagari's eyes flick to the president and Ichijo before he nods to Kaito who then pulls out some charred wires and some mangled pieces of metal. The items clang noisily onto the surface of the desk, drawing everyone's attention.

Yagari says gravely, "We think a bomb was placed underneath one of the two cars that was detonated. It most likely ignited the gasoline of the other car, causing the second explosion."

The implications of his statement hang ominously in the air. Kaname looks questioningly at Seiren, who nods silently in confirmation.

Detonated means that this was intentional. Someone deliberately set off the bomb.

Who would do such a thing? Kaname narrows his eyes. And more importantly, who was the bomb intended for?

"Whose car was it under?" Takenaka asks suddenly.

Yagari pauses. "I can't say for sure. Both cars are pretty mangled."

Everyone also stills and apprehension courses through the air like jagged lightning. It's unexpected. Kaname does not know what to make of this new development, and as he observes the president, nor does he know what to make of this man either.

The president only looks contemplatively at Cross's desk and murmurs, "I see."

He continues calmly, unshaken by the fact of his near assassination. "As I have said, it is imperative that a thorough investigation is needed."

Kaname does not know if that calmness is accredited to the man's experience and composure or it should be a reason for suspicion.

Kugamiya remarks in a wary tone, "I agree as well. An investigation is needed for both incidents." She gives Takenaka a sidelong glance. "Although as for the one concerning the two students, I do hope that by thorough, the association means to investigate the matter fairly."

"Fairly? The girl wasn't the one with critical injuries. Furthermore, it is still unknown if these two incidents are unrelated," Ryou comments sharply.

"Unrelated?" Himura remarks condescendingly, "Is it not enough you are blaming an already traumatized girl for something you haven't even investigated? And now you're accusing her of planting the bomb too?"

He smirks. "My, I've never realized what vivid imaginations you hunters must have. Is that how you cope with your own incompetence?"

Ryou stands up and says scathingly. "Shut your mouth, leech. Is self-denial how you come to terms with your depravity?"

Himura narrows his eyes and demands, "What did you just say to me? I dare you to repea-"

"I suggest we agree to a joint investigation. How about it, President Takenaka?" Ichijo announces with a level voice and an unreadable expression. Himura widens his eyes, but at Ichijo's warning glance, he backs down and stays silent with a grim frown.

Kaname can already tell that Ichijo has already found a way to twist this situation to his advantage.

Takenaka raises an eyebrow and asks, "Joint investigation?"

Ichijo remarks, "This matter clearly involves both sides and I am certain everyone is concerned over this. The safety of the students is the top priority." He purposefully looks at Cross and raises an eyebrow. "Isn't that right, Cross-san? Would it not be more efficient then to cooperate than to bicker needlessly?"

Cross pauses and stays silent with a pensive look. Ichijo turns back towards Takenaka and asks deliberately, "Or do you have a reason as to not work together?"

"No. A joint investigation is fine."

There are varying expression of surprise on everyone's face at Takenaka's easy acceptance. Even Kaname is admittedly surprised. If Ichijo is caught off guard by it, then he conceals it rather well by nodding in silent agreement.

Takenaka turns towards Cross and says, "However, Cross-san, about the security concerns we talked about earlier, I would like to re-discuss them."

Kaname inwardly frowns. The wording and declaration is clearly deliberate. The president came to discuss those terms with Cross discreetly and to bring them up again purposefully in front of everyone now is both alarming and suspicious.

"Re-discuss them?" Hiruma echoes in surprise.

Takenaka ignores him and continues, "I would like to assign more hunters to the school."

Kaname frowns. He recognizes this for what it is. This is subtle provocation. His eyes flick back towards the president. He already has an idea of what the president is aiming for, and it is not anything auspicious.

"Assign more hunters?" Hiruma repeats again.

Kugamiya looks exasperated at Hiruma and comments dryly, "Hiruma, I can hear just fine. Refrain from unnecessarily providing us an echo." She then looks towards Cross and says, voice sharp with dissatisfaction. "Cross-san, you approved of this?"

Cross blinks, a little caught off guard by the sudden turn of the conversation. "I-"

"That is fine."

Startled, Kugamiya swivels her head to look at Ichijo. "Ichijo-san."

Ichijo pays her no mind and continues, "This has excellent timing, in fact."

"Oh?" Takenaka asks, slight curiosity in his tone.

"I was deliberating over assigning some members to the school due to the aftermath of recent events. We are as alarmed as you are, but I didn't think it would be a wise to have such a heavy vampire presence in the school."

"However, if the hunters are also sending their own men…"Ichijo stares back at Takenaka, a challenging gleam in his icy blue eyes. "Well then, doesn't this help keep the balance then?"

Kaname frowns, irritated at the game these two are now playing. They are deliberately prodding and provoking each other for excuses to justify their so called 'countermeasures' that are nothing more than their own personal agendas.

This conversation is a farce. These two only want to harvest the golden opportunities from this situation.

Kaname is not amused by this. It does not matter that these two are aiming for very different goals. All actions have consequences, and these two are gambling with something they do not understand the true dangers of.

He won't let everything he has been working towards be endangered because of these two.

Kaname speaks up, voice firm with disapproval, "I have to object to that. Is such a measure necessary? From both sides even?"

Ichijo looks at him and says in a deliberately accommodating tone, "Kuran-sama. Unfortunately, this is no longer an issue that you can mitigate. I am sure you have your duties to juggle as the Dorm President. It would be rude of us to place the safety of the entire Night Class on your shoulders."

Cross clears his throat then and frowns. His voice is uncharacteristically austere and displeased. "I have to say, I agree with Kaname-kun."

Takenaka looks at Cross, eyes wary now. "Cross-san."

Cross continues, resolute and unyielding. "Although I accepted the previous condition of adding two hunters, I only did so in light of current events. If the both of you suddenly send people out to patrol out on campus, then it will foster an uneasy environment. With such a heavily armed presence, what would I say to the students?"

Takenaka offers calmly, "They will understand if it is for their own good. I will be discreet, if that is your worry. My men will simply help with patrols and aid with investigation."

"We will also be discreet," Kugamiya confirms.

Cross pauses, unhappy at their insistence. He looks at them for a long moment before finally stating, "I reserve the right to remove any individual who causes a disturbance or acts in such a way that is detrimental to the activities of this academy."

Takenaka nods. "We agree to those terms."

"We do as well," Ichijo says smoothly. After a pause, he continues, "We look forward to your cooperation then."

Takenaka glances at Ichijo. "As do we." He moves towards the door and Ryou follows briskly after him.

The council members also move to start walking out the door. Ichijo pauses before passing by Kaname and says, "Kuran-sama, I'm afraid we will have to inconvenience you. It seems like we will be coordinating with you more in the future. I trust you will cooperate accordingly?"

Kaname inwardly frowns at his own words parroted back at him, but he only says loftily, "Of course."

* * *

Hiruma frowns as they make their way towards the entrance once more. "I dislike that new president."

Ichijo finally scowls. The metal gate of the school, or at least what is left of it, slams behind them, the sharp clink of metal grating and shrill in the air. It does nothing to quell his irritation.

The council will definitely have its hands full with that new president. And all that work he did to manipulate the former one too. The arrangement they had was mutually beneficial, advantageous for him even.

Careless. He was too careless with this. How could he have been so blindsided?

He demands tersely, "What do we know of their latest developments?"

Kugamiya says bluntly, "As of now, next to nothing."

Ichijo narrows his eyes and glances back at her. His voice is sharp as he reprimands her, "Kugamiya."

Kugamiya lifts a slim eyebrow and remarks nonchalantly, "You redirected our surveillance towards the academy, Ichijo-san. The council knew nothing of the change of leaders in the hunter's association."

Displeasure simmers in her bright teal eyes as she adds deliberately, "Which is a rather unacceptable oversight."

Ichijo's face tightens and he says warningly, "What are you insinuating?"

Kugamiya does not waver - it's a habit of hers he has always disliked – and merely returns his glare with a meaningful stare of her own. "We gained nothing from this meeting. I have to say, Kuran-san raised a few valid points today. Your obsession with purebloods is getting out of hand."

Ichijo narrows his eyes as he states condescendingly, "You are a fool if you think we can rest our fates in the hands of a pureblood like him."

At that, Kugamiya's lips curve in a brief amused smile before she drawls, "Of course not. But the new hunter president is a more urgent problem. In times like these, we need the head of the council to be focused and level-headed, now don't we?"

Himura speaks up then – the useless idiot- as his eyes flick tiredly from Kugamiya to Ichijo. "I have to agree, Ichijo-san. What are we going to do regarding the president and the girl?"

Ichijo frowns again before he orders, "I want an investigation done on that new president as soon as possible. Find out what happened to the former one as well." He walks up to the new car that pulls in by the curb and waves away the driver's proffered help with an irritated hand before getting in. "As for the girl, we will offer her protection. The council will act as her representative, as I said before."

Kugamiya answers, more satisfied now, as she gets into the car as well. "I understand. I will contact her family to withdraw her from the school."

Ichijo adds curtly, "Increase surveillance on the hunter association as well. And investigate both the girl's incident and the bomb."

"You think that was directed at us?" Himura asks, a note of incredulity in his voice.

Ichijo frowns and gives him a stern glare. "We were in the cross-hairs, weren't we?" He flings the document – mark his words, when he gets back, he'll find the insubordinate fool who gave Kuran this - carelessly on the seat.

His voice deepens with a dangerous edge. "If this turns out to be some reckless strategy from the hunters, we the council will take the _appropriate_ countermeasures."

Himura stills at that for a moment before he smirks. "Of course, Ichijo-san."

* * *

Takenaka flips through the files in the back of the new car that Ryou had called headquarters to send. Ryou glances at him, "President. Is this incident within your calculations?"

Takenaka nods as he closes the folder in his lap. "It is, but investigate it thoroughly. I want to know if the student incident and the bomb are connected and who the culprits are."

Ryou nods. "Yes, sir." He pauses before continuing, "And if it points to _him_?"

Takenaka smiles slightly. "Then this plays perfectly in our hands." His voice grows stern as he reminds Ryou, "If not, intervention from other third parties will not be tolerated."

"Of course."

Takenaka leans back into the seat and gazes contemplatively out the window. "Make no mistakes with this, Ryou. We must use this opportunity to its fullest advantage."

"I understand, president."

* * *

Cross gazes pensively at the door before he sighs and murmurs, "My, my, when did the academy become so popular?"

He stands up and Yuki blinks, "Chairman, where are you going?" She glances at his injuries with a frown. "You should head to the infirmary soon."

Cross smiles, eyes bright again, and says cheerfully, "That _is_ where I am going now, Yuki."

Yuki blinks in surprise. Cross turns to Yagari and Kaito. He tilts his head as he surveys them thoughtfully, "You two should come with me."

Yagari frowns. "It's fine. We need to go now actu - Oi, where the hell are you pulling me?"

"Now, now. Do you want to be bleeding all over my carpets?" Cross quips as he reaches out and pulls Yagari to the door.

"Are you concerned about your carpets or us, Cross-san?" Kaito comments dryly.

Cross hums. "Both."

Yagari elbows him in the abdomen and says tiredly, "I can get there myself without you dragging me all over the place."

Cross immediately winces from the jab. Then, in a very obvious dramatization, he suddenly staggers back against Yagari and moans in pain, forcing Yagari to prop him up out of reflex. Yagari glares at him and hisses, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I can't walk! You're so cruel. I'm already injured, and here you are insensitively hitting me."

Yagari furrows his eyebrows and stares disbelievingly at Cross. "Get up. Do you hear me? Get up, you idiot. I'm not going to drag your dead weight around."

Cross only collapses even further in deliberation. Yagari growls, "Are you listening to me?"

Cross pays him no mind and looks towards Yuki, Kaname, Seiren, and Zero. "And what about you three? Do you need to go to the infirmary with us?"

Zero raises an eyebrow at the scene and thinks maybe the place Cross needs to go to is not the infirmary, but the mental asylum.

Yuki offers, "I'll go! I want to see Hayami-san."

Cross smiles at her and says lightly, "I'm sure she would like that."

Yuki nods but then pauses and glances worriedly at Kaname and then at Seiren. "Kaname-senpai, shouldn't you go as well?"

At that, Kaname feels Zero's glance landing on him as well. He smiles reassuringly at Yuki, "I'm fine." When she only stares at him, still unconvinced, Kaname offers, "Truly, I'm fine. If I feel unwell, I'll go to the infirmary."

Yuki hesitates and starts slowly, "Alright." Her eyes flick questioningly to Seiren. "What about Seiren-san?"

Seiren says immediately, "I am fine."

Kaname turns and appraises Seiren's wounds for a moment before he says, "Perhaps you should go to the infirmary, Seiren." Before she could protest, he continues, "You should go, if only to make sure that everything is fine." He gives her a meaningful glance. "Blood loss can be dangerous."

Seiren pauses at that as she registers the implications in his statement. However, she frowns slightly and says calmly, "It would be neglectful of me to let you walk alone, Kaname-sama. Especially after today. I can attend to my own injuries afterwards."

Kaname is about to order for her to go to the infirmary when Zero speaks up, "He'll be fine." Kaname glances at him curiously and Zero looks briefly back at him before he continues to Seiren, "I need to talk to him about something."

Zero shrugs. "I can take him back after if you're that concerned. Although, I'm pretty sure he doesn't need to."

Seiren stares at him blankly, and Zero notices that everyone else besides Kaname, who looks rather amused now, is staring at him with the same bewildered expression. He immediately frowns and glares back at them, uncomfortable at the sudden scrutiny. "Why are you all looking at me now?"

Cross widens his eyes comically. "Toga, I think I'm hallucinating."

Zero's eye twitches. Forget the mental asylum. Cross is beyond any help.

Yagari stares down at Cross in growing irritation and says flatly, "So am I. I have this goddamned luggage that keeps on blathering and refuses to _move_."

Yuki covers her mouth, but Zero can still hear the giggle that slips out.

Which would be fine and all if she was staring at Cross and _not_ him.

He furrows his eyebrows and gives her a pointed look, but Yuki only grins, eyes sparkling with definite amusement. Zero scowls.

Are the events of today catching up to everyone or something?

Because there is still a fine line between being shocked or stressed and full blown derangement, and they are all really testing that boundary today. At this rate, the asylum is going to reach full capacity soon.

Zero looks towards Yagari, annoyed at the way Cross is still looking at him, and says dryly, "Yagari-sensei, you should go the infirmary soon. I think the chairman hit his head."

Yagari frowns at that and mutters, "If only he had that excuse." He looks up in irritation and snaps, "And I'm trying kid, or do you not see this ball and chain?"

"How rude, Toga," Cross remarks, even as he still stubbornly leans back and slumps against Yagari, who has to push against him to keep him from sliding down to the floor, much to Yagari's exasperation.

Kaito deliberately drawls as he squeezes past them through the doorway, "He has a point. I don't know how I feel about having a sensei who's so insensitive."

Yagari scowls. "You little hypocritica – Cross, get the hell off of me or I'll send you straight to the hospital! Never mind the infirmary!"

"…You're quite violet today, Toga."

Kaito calls out from just outside the door, "I agree."

Yagari takes in a deep, angry short breath before he lets go of Cross, much to Cross's surprise. Cross yelps and falls rather ungracefully down to the floor. "Toga!"

"Should have done that earlier," Yagari grumbles as he steps over Cross and stalks out the door. Kaito snickers and Yagari reaches out to smack him in the head as well.

"Oi! _Sensei_ , you-"

"This is assault! Abuse! How could you just leave an injured person like this on the floor? This is cruel and arbitrary punishment! Heartless!" Cross dramatically objects as he sits up on the carpet. "What did I do to deserve this?"

Yagari's voice echoes down the hallway as he yells, "Stop whining and get up already!" There are footsteps after him and Zero can hear Kaito grumbling in irritation.

Yuki laughs again behind her hand. She walks up to Cross and offers him her hand. "I'll help you up, Chairman."

Cross immediately goes on another tangent about how in the end, Yuki is the only one to care about him because Toga clearly has anger management issues, Zero is too much of a tsundere for him to have emotional support from, and ah, isn't it difficult to be him?

Zero stares flatly at Cross, eye twitching again. Kaname only raises an eyebrow at the scene and just takes it as another facet of Cross's...eccentricity.

Yuki stifles another giggle before she glances at Seiren. "Shall we go, Seiren-san?"

Seiren glances again at Kaname for confirmation. He nods. She frowns again but dutifully follows after Yuki, although not without giving Zero another curious, assessing look as she passes him.

Yuki waves a hand as she calls out, "You guys remember to be careful!"

The doors swing shut just as she finishes and closes with a soft thud. Kaname sighs. The silence in the room is both a comforting change and a very present reminder of his own exhaustion. He turns towards Zero. "What did you want to talk about, Zero?"

Zero doesn't really hear him. Things are still and quiet for once today, and Zero is finally able to see the full extent of Kaname's injuries clearly. His eyes rove over Kaname.

The cuts and scrapes peeking through the rips and tears of fabric are already healing, the wounds already closing up to leave patches of light pink skin. Zero thinks that by tomorrow, the scars will most likely be unnoticeable if not gone altogether.

"You guys all look like you escaped an apocalypse." He comments distractedly as his eyes flick to the healing scrape on Kaname's shoulder, exposed through the ripped blazer and shirt there. "Who do you think that bomb meant for?"

Kaname wonders vaguely just how disheveled he looks right now for Zero to stare at him so fixatedly. He sighs and says tiredly, "I have no idea, Zero. The council and the president were both there. Not to mention the chairman."

All of whom would be considered high profile targets. Everyone is pointing their fingers at each other, but all Kaname sees is that this is a catastrophe. Suspicions and illicit schemes have cast their shadow over the board, and Kaname can't distinguish the players from the pawns anymore.

The bomb, the incident with two students, the sudden appearance of a new president…

The spiders have cast their webs, the sticky, needle thin strings crisscrossing every which way that his temples throb at the thought of having to unravel them.

God, there are far too many suspects, variables and not nearly enough time for him to strategize.

Kaname inwardly sighs, already daunted by the amount of work and negotiations he can already foresee accumulating in the next few weeks.

Zero sees the exhaustion shadowing Kaname's eyes, takes in the troubled frown, and says quietly, "And you. You were there too."

Kaname blinks then, seemingly interrupted from whatever he was thinking. He looks searchingly at Zero, and then his expression unconsciously softens. "I'm fine, Zero."

Zero only frowns and stays silent. The events of today swirl through his mind, fragmented images and colors. Something like that went off so close to so many people today…Cross…Yagari-sensei…Kaito…and…

Zero's eyes flick over Kaname's injuries again. The sight of them makes him feel uneasy. They remind him of how easily things could have all gone to hell today. He swallows.

Kaname watches the expression that flits through Zero's eyes and remembers the disconcerted look from before, both in the garden and the room. Do…do his injuries look that severe?

Zero doesn't see Kaname's questioning gaze though. His eyes stop on an ashy streak down the left side of Kaname's temple. There is an impressive bruise there, green and blue speckles mottling the skin and already fading out into light yellow on the edges.

The image persists in his vision, and Zero can't tear his eyes away from either the smudge or the bruise.

It stands out so conspicuously against Kaname's fair skin, and the gray streak only makes it glaring in its obviousness.

It bothers him. He doesn't even understand why it does, but the irritation is there all the same, scratching at him under his skin, raw and insistent. His fingers twitch and he frowns again.

At Zero's silence and oddly fixated stare, Kaname asks, a little concerned, "Zero?"

He stills when Zero suddenly steps closer and reaches out with his fingers to rub off the ash. They barely skim the surface of his skin, brushing lightly and cautiously, the touch gentle and warm.

He watches Zero silently, mesmerized by the strangely focused look in Zero's clear lavender eyes, by the way those eyelashes flutter down at times, casting shadows over the curve of his cheeks.

The moment feels as delicate as the touch itself and Kaname can't bring himself to disrupt it. He holds his breath.

Zero still doesn't say anything though, and Kaname wonders if Zero even realizes what he is doing. He gazes curiously at Zero, but Zero's eyes are already flicking somewhere else.

Zero's eyebrows furrow, and suddenly those fingers drop down to his shoulder and graze the sore skin there. Zero frowns and observes, a disgruntled note in his tone. "There's still glass."

It sounds more like Zero talking to himself than anything, but there's a lecturing tone to his words that has Kaname gazing down at Zero with a small smile. Zero pays him no mind – He hasn't really looked at Kaname so much as looking at his injuries – and methodically plucks out the slivers of glass out from the healing scrape with careful fingers.

The unexpected tenderness of those fingers fascinates Kaname.

Zero frowns again as he registers how the skin flushes a darker raw pink than Kaname's other injuries. He asks absentmindedly, "Does it hurt?"

Kaname watches Zero, taken back by what he's starting to realize is concern in Zero's eyes, as he says quietly, "Not much."

At the sound of Kaname's voice, Zero suddenly stiffens and lifts his head up, eyes widening in realization. Kaname is once again struck by how open and expressive those lilac eyes are.

Zero jerks his fingers back. He clears his throat, discomforted, and mumbles, "Sorry. I-I wasn't thinking."

Kaname's eyes trace the faint flush of color on Zero's cheeks before he murmurs softly, "It's fine."

Zero looks at him hesitantly before he nods soundlessly. He shifts uneasily, and it's easy to see that Zero is still embarrassed over his actions. His fingers curl and uncurl restlessly at his side, and Kaname suddenly has the strangest urge to catch those slender fingers and smooth them out, keep them still and relaxed.

The sudden image dances through his head and Kaname pauses at the peculiarity of it.

Zero, on the other hand, is in the middle of an internal tirade where he's lecturing himself on the merits of doing things without thinking - there are none - like say, touching someone's face – because seriously? What is he doing?

Kaname finally questions, "Zero? Are you…alright?"

Zero freezes at that, cheeks darkening just a tad more. And Kaname winces slightly at the way his question comes out. Before he can rephrase, Zero looks off to the side, arms crossed in front of him, as he admits, "I felt it."

Kaname raises an eyebrow, not understanding the answer. "Feel what exactly?"

Zero bites his lips and says quietly, "When the explosion happened, I felt the bond."

Kaname pauses as the implications of Zero's statements rush through his mind. As in…as in how?

Kaname stops as a sudden thought strikes him. He looks quickly towards Zero and asks, slightly alarmed, "You didn't feel what I was feeling, did you?"

Zero pauses at that, eyes snapping back to Kaname. He narrows his eyes in suspicion and accuses sharply, "You said that you're fine."

Kaname blinks at that unexpected reaction. Zero already looks like he might drag Kaname down to the infirmary, so he says quickly, "I am."

At Zero's deeply unconvinced stare, Kaname sighs and asks instead, "What did you mean when you said you could feel the bond?"

Zero looks at him warily again before he continues, "I didn't feel your pain exactly, if that's what you're asking, but…" He pauses and admits, "The bond didn't feel that great, either."

It really didn't. In fact, he's still not sure if that really wasn't a heart attack. But, Zero catches Kaname's eyes already flicking over him in obvious concern, and well, he sure as hell won't say that aloud.

Instead, Zero looks at him exasperated and complains, "I'm fine. Stop looking at me like that." He mutters under his breath, "You're the one who was standing right next to a bomb."

"I'm fine, Zero."

Zero restrains himself from rolling his eyes. 'I'm fine' is really not what a normal person should say after say, being near a bomb when it goes off and having a 100% chance of dying.

He inwardly sighs. Then again, nothing about them is normal – normal people would have needed immediate emergency attention - and the same could be said about the shit that happened today.

Damn, when did things gets so bat shit crazy?

He looks at Kaname and says rather tiredly, "Not if people are trying to kill you."

Kaname – of course - ignores him and presses, "Your neck doesn't hurt?"

Zero never noticed it before, but he does now: Kaname can be obstinate about the most annoying things. He shakes his head and grumbles, "I'm fine. Kaname. Between the two of us, I'm pretty sure I'm the one who has less injuries to worry about."

Or none, he silently adds. Kaname only looks at him before he sighs in acceptance.

There is a beat of silence before Kaname wonders aloud, "Is this normal?"

"You mean the part where people are blowing things up or the fact that students are being attacked out of the blue?" Zero says sarcastically. "Because I sure as hell hope not."

He mutters under his breath, "All of my goddamned sanity is going up in flames this week."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow, lips twitching upwards. Zero looks at him warily and says, "What?"

Kaname chuckles and comments, "I meant the part about you feeling the bond, Zero."

Zero pauses then and shrugs, "How would I know if this is normal or not?" He pauses, running over Kaname's question again. His eyes widen in growing alarm and he blurts out, "Wait, is this _not_ normal? I thought – I thought it was because you were in danger or some shit."

Kaname stares at him for a moment and admits, "I have no idea." In response, Zero sends him a deeply frustrated glare. Kaname pauses and looks questioningly at him.

Zero frowns and asks unhappily, "What do you mean, you don't know?"

Kaname sighs. Haven't they already had this conversation? "Zero, you can't possibly expect me to have all the answers to this."

"You usually do," Zero grumbles. "In fact, I've never heard you admit to not knowing something this much before." He looks crossly at Kaname and continues, "It's surprisingly more irritating that you don't."

"I can see that," Kaname notes dryly, staring back at Zero flatly. "What do you want me to say, Zero? It is not like I have a multitude of experiences to draw from. You do know you are the only one I am bonded to like this, don't you?"

Zero looks away, cheeks warming slightly at the reminder, and complains, "You didn't have to say it so bluntly like that."

Kaname shrugs, unapologetic. It is the truth, after all. He is in the dark about this as much as Zero. The only thing they can do is see how things go and react then. It is not as if they have another choice, honestly.

Zero's words do bring up an important issue. He really doesn't know if Zero's reaction would be normal. He knows that bonds can induce someone to madness or even an excruciating emotional pain when their respective others happen to pass away before them. It is one of the reasons as to why bonds are so potent in the first place.

So relatively speaking, considering the events of today, Kaname supposes that Zero's reaction makes sense. But…for Zero to feel something like that already...doesn't that mean that this bond really is as permanent as they fear?

Zero sighs and leans against one of the armchairs. In the end, the bond is nothing but complicated. The whole thing makes him exhausted. He decides to change the subject and asks, "How did it go with the council?"

Kaname stills. Zero watches tension suddenly settling over Kaname's features, russet eyes darkening with discontent.

Zero blinks, surprised by the reaction. Clearly, it went as shitty as the rest of the day.

He glances at Kaname again. Is this something he shouldn't have asked?

Hesitant, Zero asks slowly, "That bad?"

There is a long beat of silence and Zero thinks that maybe he should drop the matter altogether.

Kaname's jaw clenches as he responds rather tightly, "I may have been a bit…forceful."

Zero gives Kaname a sidelong glance and takes in the slight frown, the sharpness in his eyes. He considers Kaname's words for a moment before he ventures warily, "You threatened them?"

Kaname stiffens, russet eyes narrowing in vexation at the memory of the conversation with the council. He says sharply. "If I did, it was because they didn't understand the consequences of their actions."

Zero blinks, taken aback by Kaname's rare anger. Kaname pauses, after realizing his tone, and takes a moment to recompose himself. He frowns and continues, "I…I apologize. Discussions with the council are rather tiring."

'Tiring' seems like an understatement. Zero can only imagine what those so called discussions are like, and honestly, facing a group of level E's would probably be less of a headache.

Zero stares at Kaname for another moment and comments offhandedly, "You know, you don't have to mince your words. It's not like I give a shit about whether you offend someone."

Kaname glances back at him, and he continues, curious as to what made Kaname lose his usual composure like that, "What did they want?"

Kaname pauses, tense again. Zero looks searchingly at him. It's not like Kaname to be so on edge – it makes _him_ feel antsy as well - and Zero wonders briefly if this is going to be some shit that he would be better off not knowing.

"Kaname?" He glances at Kaname before shrugging. "It's fine. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

He means it too. He senses that continuing this topic might be like triggering a landmine, and there has been enough explosive things for one day. Zero is about to change the topic when Kaname suddenly announces quietly, "You."

Zero blinks. "What?"

Kaname elaborates, voice grave with a hint of irritation. "They wanted you. They said that the one who killed Shizuka could not go unpunished."

Zero widens his eyes and Kaname gazes back at him, russet eyes steadfast and piercing in sudden seriousness.

Unpunished? His mind fumbles to catch all of Kaname's falling words. He isn't stupid. The implications aren't lost to him. He knows what the council wants, but it's Kaname's reaction that has him staggering than any half-assed death threat from a council.

Because Kaname is…irritated. Irritated at this, and that can't be right.

He stares uncomprehendingly at Kaname. Zero asks haltingly, "I…Is this something you should be threatening the council for?"

To his surprise, Kaname's expression tightens and there is a gleam of red in his eyes as he demands in a low voice, "What do you mean by that? You- Do you understand the type of punishment that the council wants to give to you? Your life isn't just something."

Kaname narrows his eyes and his voice hardens. "If you are still thinking like that, I am going to-"

"I didn't mean it like that," Zero interjects quickly, bewildered at the sudden turn in conversation, at the emotions he can see burning vividly in Kaname's eyes.

It…It surprises him to see Kaname angry, to see him angry over _this,_ over the council's decision.

And how…how that night still bothers Kaname enough for it to be the first thing that Kaname thinks of. That Kaname isn't even using the bond as an excuse unnerves Zero more than he wants to admit.

Zero swallows and continues under Kaname's heavy gaze, "I just…You surprised me. I didn't expect you to be that bothered over it."

Even as he says it, Zero already knows that those are the wrong words to say. Kaname frowns and says in the same hard tone, "Again, I find issue with that statement."

"Kaname…"

"I am not going to let you suffer the consequences for my actions. I won't."

Zero catches his breath, heart skipping a beat. Stunned, he gazes at Kaname speechless.

The words echo in his ears, terrifyingly sincere and solemn in the air. Kaname says them so surely, so easily that Zero almost wants to shake him for it because it sounds so much like a declaration, a promise. And he didn't ask for it, didn't demand Kaname to take up this responsibility.

Zero swallows and says quietly, "Kaname." Kaname immediately stills at the tone, eyes flicking back to Zero's face in apprehension. "You…you aren't feeling guilty over – over what I did that night, are you?"

Kaname blinks, surprised at the abrupt question. Zero looks away from him and crosses his arms as he continues, "Because you don't have to. I'm not- I'm not holding it against you. I won't do anything stupid, you know. And I can take care of myself. "

"Zero, I -"

Zero speaks over him, voice hesitant. "Or is it because we're bonded? We're not automatically obligated towards each other. I don't expect you to -" He stops himself and instead says quietly, "You don't have to go out of your way to do things."

"I'm not."

Zero blinks and Kaname gazes straight at him and repeats clearly, "I'm not. I am not forcing myself to do anything." He continues, eyes burning in their solemnity. "I was the one who killed Shizuka, Zero. How could I let you take the fall for it?"

Zero bites his lips and looks away to say wryly, "That really isn't something you should be saying aloud right now."

Kaname frowns. The troubled expression on Zero's face bothers him immensely, even more so when he can't understand why Zero is so upset about this. Before Kaname registers the movement, he is already impulsively stepping closer, fingers reaching out to tug at Zero's forearm.

Zero blinks up at him in alarm. "Kaname? What are you -"

"You..." Kaname looks at Zero searchingly before he asks again, "Why do you think I'm forcing myself? Isn't this the right thing to do?"

Zero frowns and stays silent for a moment before he answers reluctantly, "No one is telling you that you have to be responsible for this. I just…" He shrugs and continues uncomfortably, "I just don't get it. You wouldn't have done this before."

A pained expression shadows Kaname's face and immediately has Zero swallowing hard. Kaname says quietly, "Do I seem that heartless to you?"

Something wrenches its way inside and Zero can feel his heartbeat beating unevenly, thrown off kilter by Kaname's words. Zero widens his eyes and he stares at Kaname alarmed. He struggles to speak - because that was not what he wanted to say, goddamn it - but Kaname is already continuing in that same achingly quiet tone, "I would. Even if we were not bonded, I would not let the council do that to you."

Kaname pauses and continues ruefully, "Maybe you're right. Maybe it is because of that bond, that night. Whatever you want to think." Kaname unconsciously tightens his grip and the pain does not even register to Zero. He can't seem to tear himself away from Kaname, from those words that Kaname doesn't need to say.

"But if I were to drive you back to that night again, I would not forgive myself."

Zero swallows hard. The words sear his skin as much as the expression burning in Kaname's dark eyes, the russet brown shifting mesmerizingly to gleams of red.

How - What is he supposed to say to that?

It overwhelms him. The colors and words spill through his head once more and god, he's so- so - he's at a complete loss.

He gazes up at Kaname helplessly. His hand unconsciously reaches up to clench at the lapel of the blazer and Zero feels Kaname still underneath his fingers. Zero swallows again and says in a half whisper, "You're overreacting, Kaname."

"Zero -"

"I get it, ok?" Zero says quietly before he lets go and pushes Kaname back lightly.

The response on Kaname's tongue dies and instead, he lets his hand drop down, eyes watching Zero carefully. Zero takes a step back and turns around. "We should go back now."

Kaname stares at Zero's back for a moment and wonders if he should press the issue. Zero glances back at him, eyes deepening to violet and brimming with an expression that Kaname can't place. He exhales slowly and concedes, "Alright."

 

 


	6. Chapter 6: Our Holy Grail Items? (Sleep, Caffeine, and Self-Denial) The Bane of our Existence? (Paperwork.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for not updating in a while. I have been writing, but I just haven't updating the one on AO3. So as a little note, I update the one on ff.net more regularly, so please check there if you think that you have been waiting too long for an update! 
> 
> Oh, god. I think I have to update three more chapters in a row after this....I'm so behind here.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy! ^ ^

**Chapter 6: Our Holy Grail Items? (Sleep, Caffeine, and Self-Denial) The Bane of our Existence? (Paperwork.)**

Akatsuki idly interlaces his fingers together and stretches his arms out in front of him until he hears the satisfying crack in his shoulders. He sighs and rubs the back of his neck tiredly.

God, he needs some coffee.

He is about to head to the main foyer when he sees Hanabusa standing next to one of the window, his fingers pulling the drapes apart slightly and eyes gazing outwards with a suspicious frown on his lips. It reminds Akatsuki of watching a kid who's trying to be secretive but only manages to be as painfully inconspicuous as ever.

He raises an eyebrow at the scene. "What are you doing?"

Hanabusa starts a little at his voice but he doesn't turn back. He's still glaring out the window and only says sourly, "I don't like this."

Coffee sounds so much more appealing than whatever the hell Aido is doing right now.

Actually, it usually is.

Akatsuki sighs again and points out lazily, "You don't like a lot of things."

Hanabusa drops the curtain in irritation. He turns with a scowl on his face and complains, "Why do we even need guards? They're just standing there for a week now." He frowns and glances towards the window again. He grumbles, "It's creepy! I can't concentrate."

Akatsuki blinks at the sudden barrage of complaints before he shrugs, "It's for our protection."

A dry voice intones, "Really? Then why do I feel like I'm under house arrest?"

Hanabusa blinks and Akatsuki turns his head to see Ruka approaching them. She frowns slightly and continues with disapproval, "They take note of everyone who leaves and comes in now."

Well, it's true. It's not exactly reassuring to know that the men the council sent over are now acting like a very unnecessary and intrusive protective detail. Akatsuki grimaces. The whole thing is a pain, but it's not like they can do anything about it.

Hanabusa suddenly says, "It's the council, isn't it?" He stares out the window and accuses sharply, "Are they trying to spy on us?"

Akatsuki stares flatly at him. Even he knows better than to say that aloud.

Ruka looks at Hanabusa with a similar expression before she says exasperated, "You know, there are some things you should say and some things you shouldn't." She glances at him again before she remarks, "In your case, perhaps it would be best if you don't say anything at all."

Hanabusa glares at her and argues, "What? You know, it's true!"

Ruka shrugs. "And? That's why you shouldn't be blathering about it in the open, idiot."

Akatsuki sighs. Man, he really should have gone for the coffee instead. He comments, "It's probably because of the incidents from two weeks ago."

He regrets the words as soon as he says them because Hanabusa's expression immediately darkens and Ruka tenses similarly. Her dark eyes gleam sharply as she asserts, an unmistakable threat in her voice. "Unacceptable. When I find whoever planted that bomb, they will deeply regret it."

Hanabusa nods and says lowly, "For once, I agree with you."

Akatsuki pauses, staring at the both of them blankly before he comments, "As great as it is for you two to agree on something, let's uh lower the homicidal urges in the room, huh?"

Hanabusa and Ruka both turn to glare at him then in unison. He mentally complains. Coffee. Should have just gone for the goddamned coffee.

Hanabusa looks at him with a mixture of outrage and incredulity - Akatsuki finds that he's not all that appreciative of receiving such a look from Hanabusa out of all people - before he demands, "Did you forget what happened? Someone intentionally set off a bomb and injured Kaname-sama!"

He waves a hand violently in the air and continues on to splutter angrily, "It's-This- To think of harming Kaname-sama is already unforgivable, but to actually injure him is…is…I have no words to describe this! How could you not be offended by this?"

"I can see that," Akatsuki notes dryly. "You do know that other people were injured too, right? And you have no idea who that bomb was intended for, Hanabusa."

Before Hanabusa could argue, Ruka cuts in and says coolly, "It doesn't matter who it was intended for. To detonate the bomb in the same vicinity as Kaname-sama is a negligence that cannot be tolerated."

Akatsuki glances at her before he shakes his head. He knows better than to argue with them on this and frankly, it does not necessarily alarm him as much as these two. Instead, he says placatingly, "Let's just be thankful that no one was severely wounded." He pauses after a moment and revises, "Well, except for that Day Class student."

Hanabusa looks contemplative then. "He's still in the hospital, isn't he?"

"I heard he still hasn't woken up yet." Ruka comments before she adds, "Hayami-chan hasn't come out of her room ever since."

Both he and Hanabusa glance at her in surprise. He lifts an eyebrow and asks curiously, "She's still attending school?"

Ruka shrugs and answers nonchalantly, "The council and her family wanted her to withdraw from school, but she refused."

Hanabusa asks, "She did? Why? Isn't it safer for her to?" He furrows his eyebrows and frowns. "She's not…This isn't her way of protesting her innocence, is it?"

Ruka looks at him flatly and says patronizingly, "Why would she? No one here believes that she did it."

"But the hunters-"

"I'm sure Hayami-san has her reasons. We have no need to know about them." All three of them blink at the sudden voice and look to their left to see Takuma walking towards them.

Akatsuki's eyes flick to the stack of documents he has under his arm. More paperwork…Did he come straight from the council then?

Takuma continues lightly as he comes to a stop before them, "If she wants to continue to be a student, then she will be just as welcomed as before." When they all just stare at him, Takuma lifts an eyebrow and asks, "Did I say something odd?"

Akatsuki only shrugs as he says loftily, "Nothing. As expected of our vice president."

Ruka's lips curve upwards and he can hear Aido repress a not so discreet chuckle.

Takuma only shakes his head, "You guys are teasing me aren't you?"

"What? We're just showing you how much we appreciate you." Akatsuki looks at Takuma curiously and nods towards to the papers, "That looks like a lot of paperwork. The council?"

Takuma looks down at the papers before he says with the same light smile, "It does seem like a lot, doesn't it? The council has been rather busy, I suppose."

Ruka frowns then, eyeing the papers warily. "Is that all for Kaname-sama to look at?"

Aido widens his eyes and looks questioningly at Takuma. "Seriously? What exactly is the council doing that – Oh, Seiren. Did you just come back?"

"Yes."

Akatsuki blinks, a little startled to see Seiren appearing from behind them. She always has a knack for appearing in the most unexpected places at the most unexpected times. Sometimes he wonders if Seiren does it on purpose of if it's just her uncanny stealth and abilities.

Seiren, of course, pays him no mind. Her shrewd eyes then flick to Takuma questioningly. Which Takuma, being him, understands the implicit message and says reassuringly, "I have the report. I'll come with you to the study actually."

She nods and they turn to walk presumably to hand whatever information they gathered to Kaname before Hanabusa interrupts and says, bewildered, "Wait, Seiren. I didn't see you use the front entrance."

Seiren does not even break her stride as she says simply, "That is because I did not use it."

Hanabusa blinks at her answer. After the footsteps fade away, he hesitantly speaks up, "Seiren has been making rather frequent trips in and out of the dorms lately, hasn't she?"

Akatsuki shrugs and notes, "So has Takuma. Most likely the council has been keeping them busy."

"The hunters as well," Ruka adds pensively. She stares off down the hall and comments with a frown, "Kaname-sama has been working non-stop in the study."

All of them pause at that. Hanabusa glances at the windows again and Akatsuki exchanges a wary look with Ruka.

For all of his indifference, Akatsuki isn't blind. The sudden guards, those two incidents, the hunters. Even an idiot can sense that things are far from alright. The whole thing is far more troublesome than he cares for.

And, it has him feeling more uneasy than he wants to admit.

Hanabusa sighs and suddenly asks, "You think if I ask her how Seiren got in, she'll tell me?"

Ruka lifts an eyebrow, both at the question and the sudden change in subject. She remarks, "No. She doesn't like you. You're too loud."

Akatasuki smirks slightly and adds amused, "Are you that paranoid of the guards?"

Hanabusa shoots him a dirty look in response before he glares at Ruka and counters, "I'll have you know that most people find me rather charming. It's not my fault that you're such an unappreciative person."

Ruka scoffs, "I happen to have standards. Unlike those fan girls of you." She continues dismissively as she starts walking away, "Then again, I'm sure stupidity has its charm to some people. There are weirdos in the world after all."

"Oi, you-"

Akatsuki immediately looks towards her. "Where are you heading?"

She glances back, curious at the urgent tone, and says idly, "To eat something, I suppose."

A look of relief crosses his face and he starts after her, "I'll come with you. I need coffee."

She shrugs in response and continues walking. Hanabusa stares after them and calls out indignantly, "Really? You two are just going to leave in the middle of a conversation?"

"I need coffee."

"I don't care."

Hanabusa's eye twitches and he mutters, "You both are so rude." He shakes his head in irritation before he calls out and follows after them, "Hey! Wait up! I'm not done here."

* * *

Irritated, Kaname frowns at the stack of papers scattered on the desk before him. He knows he warned the council to be more diligent in attaining the correct paperwork and authorization, but…

He does not expect them to take his words so literally.

They keep requesting his approval for anything and everything that pertains to the academy, relevant or otherwise.

Most of them fall under the category of otherwise.

It is obvious, painfully so, that the council is doing this on purpose, and Kaname thinks that it is rather childishly spiteful of them.

The most annoying thing is that there are important proposals and resolutions nestled underneath the layers of vague, lengthy wording, as if there to catch him off guard.

The entire thing aggravates him. It's a blatant waste of time, and he thinks, annoyed, that this was probably the intent.

Kaname sighs and flicks the pen carelessly on the desk.

This whole week has been exhausting.

Between negotiating with the council and discussing possible resolutions with Cross, it's been rather stressful lately.

And the situation at the academy has gradually worsened.

Kaname frowns and swivels the chair around to gaze out the window.

The guards outside have been placing everyone on edge. He can tell that from the hushed whispers and glances around the dorms that most of the night class are disgruntled over the appearance of the guards. Which is understandable.

For all of the council's talk of investigation and protection, anyone can easily see that it is thinly disguised surveillance placed upon them.

On the other hand, most of the Day Class students have accepted the addition of both the guards and the hunters as mere security personnel, which is fortunate. But, from what he hears from Cross, both the hunters and the vampires that the council sent have been getting into frequent arguments with each other during the nightly patrols.

It's only a matter of time before rumors fly, or those arguments spiral into skirmishes and an unfortunate Day Class student wanders carelessly out at night and well...he and Cross will have a difficult time keeping things under wraps.

It is irritating.

The thoughtlessness rankles him. To do that at the academy where both humans and vampires are present….and to implement the sudden 'security measure' so soon after those two incidents too…

Kaname frowns again. One push. Just one more shove and they will all be skidding down the slippery slope in a fall that no one will be able to stop or recover from.

Now is not the time to test the already precarious wobbly bridge between the two sides.

No. Kaname looks pensively at the papers splayed before him. He needs to regain control of the situation here first. Both the hunters and the council cannot be allowed to intervene at the academy.

He needs to remove the guards, both hunter and vampire alike. Immediately.

The only issue is finding an excuse that would justify their dismissal.

Kaname sighs. It also worries him, of course, that Yuki and Zero have had to deal with the new guards as their jobs as prefects. Although, he supposes that it is reassuring that Yagari and Kaito have been aiding them on their patrols.

Yuki…Knowing her, it's far too easy to imagine her doing something reckless and end up either drawing attention to her or even worse, being in danger because of it. Countless of possible scenarios run through his head and all of them have him feeling starkly apprehensive.

Whether it be from the hunters or the council, he cannot let Yuki be at risk.

At the same time, it is so frustrating. Kaname cannot tell her not to patrol. She doesn't have an obligation to listen to him and Yuki always takes her responsibilities as a prefect rather seriously.

He can already imagine the conversation in his head. Yuki would pause at his concern but she would reassure him too that everything will be fine and she can take care of herself.

Yuki isn't the type of the person to sit back and do nothing after all. She has a rather strong sense of righteousness. And although that is something Kaname would never want her to change, it gives him a headache all the same.

As for Zero…Kaname knows Zero can take care of himself. He knows that but the same feeling of apprehension sets in regardless.

Zero…he doesn't know what to make of their relationship now. Mates. They're mates and yet the word fails to capture the unspoken words, the complications between them.

All he knows is that the influence that Zero has over him is both unexpected and concerning all at once.

It's so...odd. He didn't think much of his own actions until Zero pointed them out and now Kaname keeps wondering if he really is acting unlike himself.

Kaname sighs. The mere fact that he is questioning himself is already uncharacteristic in itself.

Kaname closes his eyes and rubs his temples tiredly.

Even now, he can see that expression in his mind, those vivid violet eyes looking at him. His mind keeps turning the image over and over, the words of their conversation replaying in his mind repeatedly, but he still can't place that expression.

It…bothers him more than he wants to admit.

Those fingers. Those quiet, troubled words. The concern that he definitely felt from Zero.

The images keep drifting through his mind infuriatingly, like vivid smoldering fireflies that keep fluttering out of his grasp and his mind cannot help but chase after.

He frowns and rubs the left side of his neck idly. There has been a slight twinge there lately, a light pressing sensation.

Kaname isn't sure if it's because of the bond, but the odd ache feels familiar. Like the feeling he gets when he instinctually senses that he should give blood to Zero soon.

He mentally counts the weeks in his head. It's been…three weeks since the last time he gave blood to Zero?

Kaname gazes speculatively at the calendar. The senate has called an open meeting for the entire of next week. The decision to have one at all is already concerning on its own, and it's all the more reason for him to attend.

He has to, if nothing other than because the council wants to handle the incident with the two students, which is something that directly correlates to the school.

But that means that he would be gone all of next week. Kaname frowns. He should give Zero blood soon. Or today even. It is Friday after all.

Kaname stills in sudden dismay. Last time, he gave blood to Zero, they….well, they ended up forming a blood bond. He fingers the side of his neck pensively.

What would happen if he gave blood to Zero, now that they are clearly bonded?

He swallows. This…Giving blood to Zero is a terrible idea. It has catastrophe printed over it.

If Kaname wasn't already stressed over the bond before, he definitely is now. He exhales deeply and closes his eyes again.

Exhaustion presses heavily against him like a thick cloud of grey smog. The amount of work, planning – the _bond_ \- the thoughts teem endlessly in his head and his temples pulse dully at the sudden congestion.

He feels utterly exhausted.

"Kaname-sama?"

"Kaname?"

Kaname blinks, startled. He lifts his head up and sees Seiren and Takuma standing there in front of his desk.

Seiren looks equally surprised at his reaction and her eyes scan him in slight concern. "Is everything alright, Kaname-sama?"

"…Yes. Everything is fine. I was just…thinking."

Takuma watches him for a moment before he asks concernedly, "Is something bothering you?"

There are a lot of things, his mind dryly notes, but Kaname only answers vaguely, "The paperwork is becoming tiring. That is all."

Takuma furrows his eyebrows, knowing him well enough not to be convinced. Seiren does not look convinced either.

He sighs and nods wearily towards the papers in Takuma's hands. "Are those more documents for me to look at?"

Takuma winces, eyes already flicking over the files and folders strewn all over the desk. With an apologetic smile, he says, "The council unfortunately sent more documents over."

Kaname frowns and reaches out to take the new documents from Takuma's hands. He quickly flips through the pages, skimming over the content. Another 'request' for the withdrawal of the student in the incident from earlier, it seems. He asks distractedly, "Did the council mention how their investigation is going?"

Takuma pauses before he starts slowly, "Not exactly." Kaname lifts an eyebrow and glances at him over the pages. He continues, "As far as I know, they seem rather focused on keeping the hunters at a stalemate. They keep rejecting the hunters' requests for an interrogation."

Kaname notes dryly, "And this despite declaring the joint investigation." He puts the documents down and leans back in the chair. "Were you able to find anything else about the council?"

Takuma smiles and answers amiably, "Of course. The incident with the two students is not the only reason as to why they called the meeting. There are concerns over the recent activities from the hunters and the increase of Level E's."

Kaname straightens in slight alarm. "What recent activities from the hunters?"

Takuma turns expectantly to Seiren, and she calmly reports, "The hunters are strictly enforcing curfews in the nearby towns now. Vampires wandering around town at night are suspect to sudden interrogations."

Interrogations? Kaname furrows his eyebrows and frowns. "That is rather assertive of them. Have there been any incidents?"

Seiren pauses before continuing, "Four have been injured due to quarrelling with the hunters on patrol. One of them was a noble. However, besides the small skirmishes, there have been no fatal casualties."

Takuma murmurs, "That's fortunate."

Kaname makes a noise of agreement. It is fortunate, but it's only a matter of time before the skirmishes develop into full blown fights and they will have a lot more to worry about than a black eye or a broken arm here and there.

He narrows his eyes. He has a strong suspicion that all of this is due to the new hunter president. Is this a show of force? To prove that a change in leaders will not be a detriment to the hunters?

Or…is this hinting at the president's new agenda?

Kaname asks sharply, "Seiren, do you know the reason for this?"

Seiren frowns, a hint of displeasure glimmering in her eyes now. "No. But, there has been suspicious activity at the hunters' headquarters. Nondescript supply trucks have been observed entering and leaving the compound. I also hear that they are currently recruiting more hunters as well."

Takuma looks pensive. Sharp green eyes flick to Kaname and he asks seriously, "Do you think the hunters are preparing to go head to head with the council?"

Kaname frowns. He has the same suspicions. It's clear that the hunters are planning something. It's not just the council that he need to keep an eye. If he isn't careful, the president will also be a formidable opponent.

Kaname looks towards Takuma and Seiren. He says grimly, "Find out what they are planning." His eyes narrow and he emphasizes, "Both the hunters and the council."

They both nod and he continues, "I'll tell the chairman about this."

He sighs as his mind runs through the new information and all of the implications they bring again.

Seiren clears her throat, and his eyes snap back to her in slight surprise. "Is there something else?"

She nods. "The hunters have been more active in missions as well."

"Isn't it because of the rise in level E's?"

Hesitance crosses her features and the uncharacteristic quality of it makes Kaname wait for her words warily. It takes a moment before she says finally, "There is something… odd about it, but I have no evidence yet."

Kaname exchanges a curious glance with Takuma before he responds, "Seiren, you would be surprised how accurate your intuition is." Takuma nods in encouragement.

Seiren starts a bit uncomfortably, "That is kind of you to say, Kaname-sama." She continues, her usual professionalism slipping back into her eyes, "I have noticed that each time there is an outbreak of Level E's in the room, the hunters are already in the area."

Kaname considers her words for a moment. Takuma speaks up, tone thoughtful. "Do you mean that they are responding too quickly?"

"No. I mean that they are already in the area."

Kaname stills in sudden understanding. He observes, "You think they are the ones causing it."

Seiren does not say anything, but the meaningful, serious expression in her eyes confirms it for him.

Takuma asks in alarm, "But for the hunters to do that…doesn't it defeat their purpose?"

"I agree." Kaname remarks. He frowns and notes, "We know too little about the new president. The chairman tells me that he originally led a clandestine unit in the association prior to being appointed as president."

Takuma observes, "That makes things rather more difficult, doesn't it?"

Kaname sighs and looks towards Seiren to ask, "About the rise of Level E's…have there been attacks lately?"

"Yes. Not in the city, but in small towns near the mountains and in the countryside."

Kaname continues contemplatively, "Are they random?"

"I haven't checked to see if they have anything in common."

He nods and smiles slightly. "Alright. Thank you Seiren."

Seiren only provides, "I was only doing my duties." She glances critically at his desk before she comes over to start shuffling the papers in their proper folders and files.

Kaname is about to tell not to bother because every document he finishes only gets replaced by a new one from the council. But, there is a vaguely displeased expression on her face and Kaname suspects that the mess genuinely irritates her, so he wisely decides to stay silent.

Takuma pulls an armchair over to sit down in. He watches Kaname for a moment before casually remarking, "I could help with the paperwork, you know."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow. "Are you certain you want to make that offer?"

Takuma tilts his head curiously before he smiles in amusement. "Of course. It's only paperwork, isn't it?" He ambles over to his side and continues, "Which ones have you not looked over yet?"

Kaname sighs and gestures to the stack of files to his right.

Takuma's eyebrows furrow. He surveys the desk again and asks incredulously, "All of this is from the council?"

"It is."

Takuma stares down blankly at the papers and says weakly, "You should have asked for help sooner, Kaname."

Amused, Kaname asks with a half-smile, "Are you taking back your offer then?"

Takuma glances at him with a resigned grin. "Of course not." He hums and regards the pile for a moment, "I'll just take…"

He blinks when Seiren suddenly hands him a thick folder practically bursting at the seams with the sheer amount of papers spilling haphazardly out of it. "Oh… Thank you Seiren."

Takuma sits down and places the file down gingerly on the desk, careful not to tip over the neatly arranged stack of finished files that Seiren has started at the corner. His eyes rove over the folder warily, like it's a new, unknown specimen of whose existence he cannot comprehend.

Kaname's lips twitch upwards in amusement. He decides to take pity on him and remarks, "Takuma, you are not obligated to help me with the paperwork."

Takuma is flipping through the folder with a look of growing bewilderment. Without looking up, he answers distractedly, "Are you really turning down help? You are practically drowning in paperwork over there, Kaname." He stops and looks up then, a teasing gleam in his eyes. "It is common courtesy to accept the lifeline offered to you, you know."

"Not common sense?"

Takuma smiles wryly. "Common sense would have been asking for help and not drowning in the first place."

Kaname chuckles and shakes his head. He reaches for another file, and is about to search for a pen when Seiren offers one to him without his asking. He murmurs a thanks, but Seiren is already focusing back on the scattered files with a rather dissatisfied expression.

…It feels a bit like he is the one being taken pity on actually. He represses another amused chuckle and instead turns to read through what looks like another wordy proposal that explains nothing.

An ease and companionable silence softly settles over the room. Kaname can hear the sound of paper rustling as Seiren continues to organize the papers besides him and Takuma humming bits and pieces of a tune as he looks over the papers.

It makes him feel admittedly more relaxed as he continues to look over the papers.

He reads about a fourth of the document and is already exasperated at the unnecessary, pedantic jargon. And unwittingly, his mind wanders back to poke at his earlier thoughts. He inwardly frowns and forces himself to focus, reeling his wayfaring thoughts back.

Kaname reads through the clauses and initials some lines here and there, the pen scratching against the paper as he does so. As he skims forward, his mind stubbornly ventures back and forth from the document at hand to the worries from before.

Kaname inwardly sighs.

He is flipping through another page when he asks unthinkingly and without looking up, "Takuma, what do you know about blood bonds?"

The question floats innocuously in the room. Kaname does not think much of it as he frowns at the next mentioned clause in the paper. Revised curfews for the Night Class students?

Takuma doesn't either as he scans the lines of black printed text. He is sorely tempted to reject the entire thing because he cannot, for the life of him, seem to understand what the council is asking in this.

And to think Kaname has been reading these documents for the past two weeks now…

He furrows his eyebrows and murmurs, "What proposal is this referring to?"

It takes a moment for him to register Kaname's question. And even then, Takuma answers distractedly as he flips through the folder to find the elusive proposal, "Hmm. Blood bonds? You mean the ones between mates or between-"

Takuma stops suddenly as the words finally sink in. He widens his eyes and lifts his head from the papers to stare at Kaname in alarm. "What?"

Distracted from his own paperwork, Kaname glances at Takuma, surprised at the sudden tone and forgetting momentarily his own question. Besides him, he also senses Seiren stilling as the sound of paper rustling stops.

Kaname furrows his eyebrows in slight confusion as he runs through the conversation again. Did he say something odd?

He inwardly grimaces as soon as he remembers. Kaname silently berates himself and represses the urge to rub his temples. God, he must be more sleep deprived than he thought.

He looks down at the papers again and waves a hand dismissively, "Never mind. Disregard what I said."

To his unhappiness, Takuma does not and instead protests, still alarmed, "Wait a moment. I-It's just unexpected."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow and glances warily back at him.

"Did you-" Takuma stops himself and a calmer, more resolute expression settles over his features as he asks carefully, "What exactly did you want to know?"

Kaname looks at him again, deeply reluctant to continue this particular topic. Takuma only gazes back at him with his usual patient, sincere eyes and Kaname finds himself hesitating.

It's a terrible idea. He knows that, reluctance still running strong through him.

But…this is Takuma. Kaname knows whatever he says will be held in strict confidence and Takuma knows him well enough to recognize when and when not to push things.

Furthermore, it…wouldn't hurt to ask for another opinion.

Kaname pauses before starting slowly, "Hypothetically...if a blood bond formed unintentionally, how strong would the bond be?"

Takuma blinks at the sudden question, but he takes it in stride and answers thoughtfully, "Well, even if it is unintentional, I would imagine the blood bond would have the same effects as it would normally."

A memory flashes through and Kaname asks, "Such as… feeling when the other person is in danger?"

Takuma thinks for a moment before he nods, "That seems reasonable."

Kaname sighs. That confirms what he already thought. "I see." After a moment's deliberation, he continues carefully, "Are…pheromones usual?"

Takuma can't conceal his surprise this time and his eyes widen. "Pheromones?" He ventures hesitantly, "We're still talking… hypothetically, right? Or… did something happen?"

Takuma surveys Kaname in growing concern and he asks more urgently, "Kaname, you didn't form one by accident, did you? Or did someone form one with you?"

Kaname pauses and remarks, "Is there a difference between the two?" At Takuma's reproachful gaze, he sighs and comments, "Takuma, you're starting to act like an overprotective parent."

Before Takuma can argue or lecture, Seiren observes calmly, "There might be because the bond was formed unintentionally."

Both he and Takuma turn to stare at Seiren with differing degrees of surprise. Kaname asks, "Seiren?"

She shrugs slightly and continues placidly, "It is not strange for the bond to compensate for the lack of emotional connection or physical contact by chemical means."

Kaname considers her words for a moment. To compensate?

Takuma glances at Seiren before nodding in agreement. "Hmm, that does make sense."

Kaname furrows his eyebrows. "I…see."

What does that mean though? It explains what…what happened that night. What it doesn't tell him though if it is going to happen when he gives Zero blood again.

His mind stops on an even more alarming thought. Does he even _need_ to give Zero blood for the pheromones to possibly appear again?

Takuma suddenly leans forward and Kaname starts in surprise at both the proximity and the odd look of determination emblazoned in his green eyes.

"Takuma?"

Takuma instead asks, "Hypothetically, does the partner of this person who formed the blood bond by accident know anything about blood bonds at all? Or is even aware that there is one between the two?"

Kaname blinks at the barrage of questions. Before he can even register them though, Takuma continues on and answers them for him, "Because if so, these two should talk this over with each other. Communication is important in every relationship."

Kaname stills and exchanges a bewildered glance with Seiren. Or at least he does. Seiren has her face devoid of emotion, but Kaname thinks that there is a hint of agreement to Takuma's words in her eyes.

What…exactly is happening here?

"Kaname?"

He stares at Takuma blankly and finally manages, "That… seems like a rather elaborate scenario for a hypothetical question."

Takuma only shrugs and with an affable smile, continues on without missing a beat, "I have watched too many dramas. Indulge me in this role-playing."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow and asks dryly, "If I agreed, wouldn't I be confirming this scenario?"

Takuma asserts patiently, "Nothing will leave this room."

At that, Seiren turns to look at Kaname and asks calmly, "Should I leave, Kaname-sama?"

He pauses to glance at her, a little bewildered at the sudden turn of the conversation. "No, it's fine."

He looks back at Takuma and is exasperated to find him still gazing resolutely back. "Takuma."

Takuma only gives him a reassuring expression in return. How someone can look so patient and insistent is baffling. He think wryly that Takuma gives the phrase, to kill with kindness, a whole new meaning.

Kaname sighs and humors him. "Hypothetically…in this situation, let us say that both of them already know about blood bonds."

Takuma muses silently as he takes in Kaname's answer.

Kaname, on the other hand, does not know if he should be worried or amused that Takuma is taking this so seriously.

"I…see. Then, are you bot-are the two in the scenario simply taking it as things go then?"

Kaname stares at him, not missing the slight slip up. He remarks exasperated, "This is starting to feel ridiculous."

At Takuma's expectant and patient gaze, Kaname inwardly chastises himself for bring this topic up in the first place. He offers wearily, "Yes?"

"Then, I think it's fine as long as you both make sure to talk things over. I think she'll understand."

Kaname furrows his eyebrows and says unthinkingly, not for the second time that night, "She?"

Takuma blinks and asks blankly, "What?"

Kaname inwardly cringes. Perhaps he really is suffering sleep deprivation. _Extreme_ sleep deprivation for him to say things so carelessly like this. He shakes his head and brushes the comment off, "Never mind."

"Kaname, who-"

He interrupts and says firmly, "Takuma, let us stop this - this hypothetical scenario."

"I-"

Seiren smoothly cuts in and announces, "It's about time for the class exchange. Will you be attending class today, Kaname-sama?"

Kaname nods his head, admittedly relieved at the change in subject. "I will."

At that, Takuma blinks again in surprise, "You are?" He glances at the paperwork and looks up again. "Are you sure?"

Kaname shrugs, thankful for Takuma's distraction, and remarks, "Even if I take the day off again, this paperwork is not going to disappear overnight."

Or at all, he adds silently. Especially since every time he completes a document, another one just miraculously takes its place. It's a rather cruel and unwanted cycle of resurrection.

"Alright then. I'm sure everyone will be relieved to have you attending class again."

* * *

"Why are they here at the class exchange too?"

Hell if he knows.

Zero narrows his eyes in irritation. Ever since that incident with the bomb and those two students, things have gone from shit to….to whatever the fuck this is.

Hunters, vampires. It doesn't matter what side they belong to. As far as Zero is concerned, they're all a pain to deal with.

And there goes his entire sanity down the drain. Along with all of his sleep.

God, he can't remember the last time he has felt this sleep deprived.

He can't even understand. Are they all fucking idiots? How the hell does this make anything better?

All of them aren't even investigating for shit. Every time Zero and Yuki are doing their nightly patrols, it's less the usual looking for students skipping curfew and more like trying to stop the goddamned Armageddon from breaking out every time.

It always starts from a snide remark from one of the so called guards on either side and then things go all downhill from there.

Kaito had grumbled that it's just like watching a bar fight unfold, and Zero thinks that he is probably right.

He scowls. He's a prefect, not a goddamned babysitter.

Even the chairman is rethinking the entire situation. It says a lot about how screwed up this situation is when the man wearing lion slippers is annoyed for once.

The only thing that Zero is thankful for – although it's a miracle that he finds anything about this to be remotely thankful for - is that everyone mostly stays out of the way during the day. The hunters mostly patrol around the perimeter during the day and the vampires assigned to the moon dorms just stay there.

Yuki takes in Zero's increasingly aggravated expression and asks warily, "Zero?"

Zero clenches his jaw before he says vexed, "I don't know, Yuki. I have no idea why they're here other than cause us more problems."

Yuki frowns and gazes in the distance where they can see the five hunters keeping back a group of the usual girls from the Day Class. She must feel the same way because she doesn't lecture him about his harsh phrasing. "Do you think the chairman knows?"

Zero shrugs and grudgingly admits, "Probably not. He wouldn't let this happen if he did."

Yuki nods and says quietly, "I don't think it's a good idea for them to be here and around the students so openly. Not with – "

"Not with how they acted during the patrols at night?" Zero interrupts with a raised eyebrow. "We're lucky that everyone has been following curfew or I don't know how the hell we would have explained things to them."

Although that is probably due to Ishihara's suspicious absence.

It was only explained to the rest of the students that Ishihara had suddenly collapsed while walking around school. And although no one has objected, the hushed whispers and the unspoken words circulating through the air tells a different story.

That's exactly why Zero thinks that it is reckless for the guards to be here at the school during this time.

He sighs wearily and nods towards the entrance. "Come on, Yuki. Let's go before they cause even more shit."

When they get closer, Zero's frustration spikes and his eyes narrow at the scene. There are five hunters all bodily standing in the middle of the crowd, forcing the girls to part and stand on the side. One of them, a tall muscled man with short tawny hair, orders with a clear frown, "Stand back! We will not repeat ourselves."

The other man next to him adds, "We will manually remove you from the premises."

"Re-remove us?"

Alarm and dissatisfaction simmers through the girls and one of them says hesitantly with wide blue eyes, "The headmaster said there would be more security, but you guys are…"

"Yeah. What is this? Are you guys actually security guards?"

The girls exchange a nervous look with each other, and Zero cusses under his breath. That is exactly what he was afraid of. Yuki stills and glances at Zero, silent apprehension in her wide brown eyes.

Shit.

The hunter from before only repeats himself, "Vacate this area. Now."

Zero can hear one of the other hunters muttering, "What the hell is wrong with these airheaded kids?"

A girl with a high ponytail, who Zero recognizes as one of the usual leaders of the group, turns to sidestep the hunter in front of her and blinks as the man moves to block her way. When her friend, a girl with a side braid falls down as another hunter shoulders past them too roughly, she widens her eyes. "Kaori! Are you ok?"

Her friend winces but nods her head. "I'm fine, Sayaka." She turns and yells at the hunter, "Hey! What are you doing? Don't push us!"

Yuki immediately stiffens next to him and Zero tenses as well. What the fuck do these assholes think they're doing?

Zero immediately strides up to them, with Yuki following behind him. He moves in between the girls and the hunters.

Some of the girls immediately pause behind them in surprise.

"Kiryu-kun….and Yuki-chan…"

Zero pays them no mind and instead stares in irritation at the hunters, who are now glancing at him warily. He asks curtly, "Why are you all here at the class changeover?"

The light hazel haired man raises an eyebrow and answers just as harshly, "We are clearing the area. What does it look like we are doing?"

Like you're causing more problems for everyone, he silently retorts back.

Zero surveys him guardedly, having met the man more than once during the patrols.

Yuki speaks up, voice firm and eyes flashing in determination, "That is our job, Sato-san. Us prefects have this covered. Isn't your job to patrol around the school?"

Kato looks at her dismissively and asserts, "Our job is to handle and eliminate any issues or threats that pertain to the safety of this school."

The patronizing tone immediately pisses Zero off and he scowls. It's a bunch of bull. Sure, it might be a pain to deal with, but since when is a bunch of enthusiastic fangirls a security threat to the academy that needs to be 'eliminated'?

He is fed up with the way all of these guards spout the same pretentious excuse as if they are all doing the academy a favor by being here.

A shorter man with closely cropped black hair next to Sato adds sharply, "This shouldn't even happen in the first place. That chairman of yours for all his talk is too careless."

Zero narrows his eyes at that, not appreciating that snide remark. Yuki stiffens too in dismay as well. The girls behind them pause and whisper agitatedly at hearing it.

Zero frowns even more. Do these guys even remember where they are right now?

Another hunter with dark blue eyes nods shortly in agreement before staring critically at them. He orders, "You two move out of the way too. We will take over this from now on."

Take over the class exchange? Zero stares back at the hunters in disbelief. What do these guys think that they're doing?

Yuki widens her eyes and asks in alarm, "What? Did the headmaster approve of this?"

A noise of agreement ripples through the girls behind Yuki and some of the girls call out more bravely now:

"That's right!"

"What authority do you have to do this?"

"Aren't you just hired guards?"

Sato merely stares at all of them impassively and repeats briskly, "We will move you by force if necessary."

When none of the girls move, his expression steels over in resoluteness. As if on cue, all of the hunters start pushing their way through the crowd, manually directing the girls always from the entrance.

Some of the girls stumble at the unexpected move from the guards and their friends quickly help them up and pull them towards the side corridors. Others are staring wide-eyed at the guards and the entire scene with a mixture of bewilderment and apprehension. Several of the girls struggle against the hunters and protest in outrage:

"What are you doing?"

"What? You- Hey!"

"Let me go! I can walk just fine on my own, you - you pervert!"

Zero narrows his eyes and quickly moves to his right where the two girls from earlier with the side braid and the ponytail are dragging their feet against the pavement to prevent the hunter from corralling them towards one of the overhang hallways.

He steps sideways between them and quickly presses his arm against the hunter's chest keep him back. Nothing too rough but the added pressure forces the hunter to take a step. Zero drops the arm then and glances behind, "You two should stay back."

The two girls blink and are about to argue before Zero scowls at them. With another wary glance towards the hunter, they nod and walk back towards the other girls.

Zero surveys the man warily. It's the one from earlier with the closely cropped black hair. The man frowns heavily and demands sharply, "What do you think you are doing?"

Zero glares back and says curtly, "The class exchange is our job. It does not concern you."

The man says condescendingly, "The mere fact you two cannot keep back a crowd of adolescent girls already has me questioning your abilities as prefects." His jaw clenches in irritation as he continues, "I have no idea what that headmaster of yours is thinking, leaving the security of the entire school to two children."

He deliberately steps closer to Zero and Zero tenses with a frown. "Let the adults handle this and _move._ "

Zero stares back unflinchingly in challenge and answers resolutely, "I will not."

The man's expression darkens and he threatens in a low voice, "Do not make me manually remove you."

Zero grits his teeth and warns, eyes flashing in irritation. "You are interfering with my duties as a prefect."

Zero catches the slight narrowing of light green eyes before a hand grips his collar. In that split second, Zero's eyes flick briefly to the girls standing on the periphery staring wide-eyed at the scene.

Shit. Are these guys idiots? They're doing all of this in front of the students.

Zero restrains his own instincts that have his fingers twitching to grab that hand and twist it back. No. He can't make this more of a scene than it already is.

He lets himself be shoved roughly away. Zero stumbles a half step back before he rights himself and scowls at the hunter.

He is about to retort scathingly on the man's warped priorities when a blur of black and brown flutters in front of him. Zero blinks before he scowls again. _Yuki._

Yuki steps in between them, eyes blazing in outrage and determination. "Stop that! You cannot lay a hand on the students!"

Her declaration rings out firmly in the air, and the genuine, reproving tone has everyone in the courtyard pausing for a moment. The hunter watches her warily for a moment before he says coolly, "If you are going to interfere, then I will remove you as well."

Yuki tenses, but she does not back down. She frowns and says firmly, "Violence is not tolerated. If you disagree with the way we handle class changeover, you need to voice your objection to the chairman. You cannot forcibly intervene like this."

The man narrows his eyes and this time when he steps closer towards Yuki, Zero does not even stop to think. He quickly moves in front of Yuki and catches the man's wrist in midair, fingers tightening to hold it still.

The man blinks, surprise flashing through his eyes briefly, before his eyes narrow in anger. "You-"

Zero tightens his grip deliberately, the tendons twitching under his fingers. He says brusquely, "Causing injury or harm to a student is against the policies of this academy. If you violate this, I _will_ remove you from the school grounds."

The rest of the hunters tense at his statement and Zero surveys them out of the corner of his eyes. Sato comes forward then to the man's side and says calmly, "You need to let us do our job."

Zero narrows his eyes and roughly lets go of the man. He stares back at Sato and says lowly, "And you need to let us do ours."

The man rubs his wrist and frowns in irritation. "You – The role of prefects is no longer needed."

Zero answers tensely, "That is for the headmaster to decide."

Yuki nods and speaks up in agreement, "That's right. We will continue to act as prefects until the chairman says otherwise."

A blond haired hunter comes forward then with a disapproving glare and comments harshly, "You two couldn't even handle a class of adolescent teenagers. What makes you think that you two can maintain the security of the academy?" His hazel eyes narrow and he says warningly, "Children should listen to their elders."

Zero glowers at him, bristling at the patronization, and retorts, "I don't take advice from assholes."

"You-"

Yuki announces again and more firmly, "All of you need to clear this area. The class changeover is our responsibility."

Sato raises an eyebrow and says sternly, "You do not have the authority to give us orders. We will resolve any security threat as we see appropriate." He gives a meaningful glance towards them and continues, "Anyone obstructing our responsibilities will not be tolerated."

Zero narrows his eyes and demands, "What are you saying?"

Yuki frowns and after gazing worriedly at the girls who are now looking anxious, she protests loudly, "Stop it! You are causing a disturbance and alarming the students."

Zero does not break his gaze with Sato and says darkly, "I will not repeat myself again. Remove yourself. We will deal with this matter ourselves."

"We cannot let you do-"

A voice intones condescendingly, "Oh? What is this? Are the adults arguing with children now?"

They all look up to see seven individuals ambling towards them. Zero frowns. Vampires. These are the guards that the council sent.

Yuki shares a concerned look with him. Zero frowns again and looks crossly at the new arrivals. Judging by how their patrols are going lately, they are going to have to play the unwanted role off referee again. Damn it.

The vampires deliberately don't stop until they are about two steps away from the hunters.

Sato immediately stiffens and asks sharply, "What are you doing here?"

A woman with raven hair shorn in a blunt bob tilts her head to the side and answers amusedly, "To escort the Night Class, of course." She pauses and continues with a warning hint in her tone, "Not that we answer to you."

Sato frowns, eyes roving over them in suspicion, and says coldly, "They need to be escorted to class now?"

The woman shrugs her shoulders and intones casually, "We take our responsibilities seriously." Her eyes flick to the girls standing in clusters to the side. Her lips curve in a smirk and she adds slyly, "You might find it hard to understand, considering the…caliber of your work."

All of the hunters tense and Zero's irritation increases at the familiar way this conversation is going. Sato's expression darkens and he warns, "Watch your words."

The woman raises an eyebrow and comments coolly, "Actions speak louder than words. Do not look so affronted if you have nothing to show for your misplaced pride."

The hunter with the closely cropped hair interrupts and says harshly, "Shut your mouth. We will not be lectured by the likes of you."

Zero frowns at all of them who have clearly forgotten the rest of the students watching this strange face off. He says in irritation, "You both need to calm down."

The woman turns to him then and raises an eyebrow. "Shall we lend you a hand, prefects?"

Sato answers for him, "Do not interfere."

A long blond haired man standing next to the woman smirks at that and remarks condescendingly, "That is rather hypocritical of you, isn't it?" He looks pointedly towards Zero and Yuki. "The prefects do not look so happy with your _assistance_."

Before either of them could continue, Yuki cuts in and says calmly, "Please continue this conversation elsewhere. You are starting to worry the students."

The man blinks in mock surprise and offers, "Are we? We apologize." His eyes flick to the hunters again and he continues nonchalantly, "Although, prefect, it seems like we are not the ones who are causing the students concern."

The hunter with the closely cropped hair frowns and demands, "What are you implying?"

"Just that all of these girls look alarmed long before we approached." The man smirks and continues, "Tell me hunter, did you forget what you are here to do?"

The hunter narrows his eyes and steps closer until they are both face to face and his voice drops as he hisses, "Don't mock me with words, you filthy bloodsucker." He continues contemptuously, " _Escort?_ Don't screw with us. What are you planning?"

The man narrows his eyes and Zero's fingers are already tensing on the gun. He looks meaningfully at Yuki and nods towards the girls. Yuki frowns before she takes another look at the guards and heads over to the girls to persuade them to leave.

The woman from before speaks up and counters smoothly, "We should be the ones asking you that." Her blue eyes flick to Sato and she says with a dangerous lilt in her tone, "Why are the hunters suddenly so concerned over the class exchange?"

Sato looks impassively back at her and responds shortly, "I have no idea what you are implying. This is a security concern and we are merely addressing it."

"Security concern?" She remarks before her eyes narrow. "Or harassment?" She stares coldly at Sato and commands, "Stop interfering in the class changeover."

"Interfering?" One of the hunters, a tall burly man with dark brown hair, continues brusquely, "Then what are _you_ doing over here? Shouldn't you be busy playing watchdog over at the dorms or did all you lose your leash?"

The woman intones darkly, "I suggest you watch your words."

Sato looks at her and says tensely, "I suggest you do the same."

There is a second of tense silence where both of them are silently gauging each other before Zero catches the sudden lurch of movement and hears the scrape of metal.

He tenses and lunges forward.

Zero reaches out and grabs Sato's arm, twisting it behind his back. He hears a clatter of metal – dagger probably – and shoves forward so that they both collide with the woman. Her eyes widen in surprise in that split second. He takes advantage of it to pull out the Bloody Rose with his other hand and presses the muzzle against her stomach.

Shit. All of this is going to shit.

Zero wrenches Sato to the side all the while keeping the gun on the woman to angle them away from plain view.

Adrenaline streaks through him, and all of his instincts are on full alert. Zero's eyes flick warily to his sides where both the hunters and vampires have stilled and survey him with wary eyes.

He'll be outnumbered if this becomes a full-blown fight, but he's so done with this shit.

Zero can hear the girls whispering off in the distance. Yuki moved them far enough now to not hear anything clearly from where Zero is, but they can still see the colossal mess that this has become.

Zero grimaces and inwardly cusses again. What the fuck is wrong with these bastards? The students are standing right fucking there and these two just decide to duke it out in the courtyard?

Sato tenses under his grip. Zero prepares himself for any sudden move, knowing that if Sato becomes serious, he could probably break out of this hold. The woman glares at him and says lowly, "Prefect, what do you think you're-"

She stops as Zero tightens his grip on Sato and presses the gun warningly. He glowers and hisses, "I suggest you both calm the hell down and argue somewhere else. Or did you both forget where you are?"

* * *

Kaname stops abruptly, and Takuma blinks at the sudden pause both in the discussion of the paperwork and in walking. "Kaname?"

He turns his head to look at what has Kaname's attention and then murmurs, "Oh. That doesn't seem good."

Kaname barely hears him as he stares at the scene in increasing alarm and displeasure. Yuki is standing off to the far right under one of the arches, where she is keeping back a group of the Day Class students who all have varying degrees of alarm and uneasiness.

In front of him, however, right in the center of the courtyard, is a group of what he can distinguish as the group of hunters and vampires who have been assigned as guards.

Kaname immediately focuses on Zero, the silver shock of hair making it easy to identify him. Zero seems to be in the middle of the group, but the crisscross of limbs around him make it difficult to see what he is actually doing.

What Kaname does sense is the animosity that crackles ominously through the air.

Behind him, Aido murmurs in surprise, "Is Kiryu fighting them?"

Kaname immediately narrows his eyes and strides quickly over there, with Seiren following right after.

There is a pause before the rest also follow after him in alarm.

Takuma though gives Kaname a sidelong glance as he catches an uncharacteristic gleam of anger in Kaname's eyes.

Zero can sense the Night Class coming towards them, but before he can think much of it, Sato speaks up firmly, "Unhand me, Kiryu-kun. Or I will be forced to retaliate."

Zero answers coolly, "Not if you cannot behave calmly, Sato-san." He looks towards the woman and adds, "The same goes for you."

She narrows her eyes and hisses, "Don't think I don't know what you have done. You insolent Level D. First you murder a pureblood, and now you threaten someone assigned by the council?" Her expression darkens. "You need to learn your place."

"And you need to learn yours," a voice states sharply. Zero widens his eyes as the vampires suddenly shift uneasily and part to let Kaname stride through with a grim frown on his face.

Kaname's eyes quickly flick over him, narrowing when he sees the grip on Sato and the gun. These guards truly are too inconsiderate and rash. To provoke each other at the academy and in front of the day class is unacceptable. A liability. Not to mention…

He looks briefly up to share a look with Zero.

Zero slowly lowers the Bloody Rose, trusting that Kaname can deal with the vampires. Good. It's one less group of assholes he needs to deal with.

The woman gives him a dirty look before Kaname stares disapprovingly at her. She visibly stiffens and starts carefully, "Kuran-sama, we-"

Kaname cuts her off and criticizes, voice edged with displeasure. "Have you all forgotten the terms under which you are assigned here?"

Zero watches Kaname's face tighten as he orders authoritatively, "Withdraw."

One of the vampires looks at Kaname hesitantly before a determined expression crosses his features and he objects, "With all due respect, we have our orders from the council. We cannot-"

"Do not make me repeat myself."

Zero observes warily that Kaname's aura fluctuates slightly in warning and everyone stills at the tangible sense of danger hanging thickly in the air, like a foreboding black thundercloud.

Kaname's irritation is not surprising – hell, Zero has no words to describe how pissed he himself is right now – but…it feels sharper than his usual cold indifference.

Zero notices Aido and Kain looking surprised at Kaname's rare show of anger. Ruka has a slight frown and Ichigo looks pensive. Seiren, on the other hand, is surveying the vampires with shrewd eyes, poised to move if needed.

Zero glances back at Kaname who stares unamused at the vampires. The vampires exchange a nervous stare with each other before the woman speaks up slowly, "Yes…of course. We apologize."

She shares a look with the rest of the vampires and they all reluctantly turn to leave the courtyard.

Kaname turns his attention back on Zero and the hunter. He frowns, not missing the alert expression in Zero's eyes or the heavy frown on the hunter's face. "What is the problem here?"

Sato does not answer and instead says, "Kiryu-kun, unhand me."

Zero stares at him warily, debating whether it's a good idea to. The guy didn't care when there were Day Class students around – there still are – and Zero does not trust the guy to be any more level headed now that the Night Class students are here.

Still, it's not like he can hold the guy infinitely.

Zero is about to let him go when a heavy hand clasps his shoulder, the touch rough and bruising. "Let go of him."

His glance slides sideways and is unsurprised to see the jackass from before.

Zero is about to counter sharply because like hell does this make him any more happy to let him go when he catches the darkening of Kaname's eyes as Kaname shifts his attention on the other hunter.

Zero widens his eyes when Kaname frowns and starts to take a step forward. Images from the conversation two weeks ago flash through his mind again. The words that he tried to repress at the back of his mind all these weeks surface to the front again and Zero stills.

He isn't sure of this is Kaname intervening because of the situation itself…or because of… _him_.

Zero's mouth runs dry, half incredulous and half alarmed to see the vexed expression in Kaname's eyes. He furrows his eyebrows in alarm and gives Kaname a meaningful look before he lets go of Sato.

Sato takes a step away and rubs his wrist idly. The hunter squeezes Zero's shoulder, probably for retribution from before, before he lets go and steps away.

Zero frowns, bristling at the move but says nothing. Kaname, on the other hand, looks at him sharply.

Sato looks to Kaname and asserts, "We are simply overseeing the class changeover."

Kaname frowns and says in dissatisfaction, "That is the responsibility of the prefects."

Sato watches him for a moment before he answers frigidly, "That is not for you to decide."

Out of the corner of his eye, Zero sees Aido immediately stiffening in outrage at that before Kain not so discreetly nudges him in the side.

However, before anyone can say anything, Yuki calls out in alarm, "Hey, stop! Where is everyone going?"

Zero immediately turns towards her and blinks at the sudden surge of girls who are all walking back towards them with upset expressions. The girl from before with the ponytail, Sayaka, narrows her eyes and calls out, "Hey! Were you about to manhandle him?"

Everyone stills at the unexpected statement. Discontentment runs through the rest of the girls.

"He totally was."

"He pushed you too, Kaori."

"He did."

Zero blinks at the mob of the girls who are now surrounding the hunters, much to their surprise and everyone else. Zero says bewildered, "What are you guys doing?"

Yuki hurries towards them and calls out hesitantly, "Everyone, please calm down! We have to-"

Kaori, the girl with the side braid from before, interrupts and waves a hand dismissively in the air, bright blue eyes already staring challengingly at the guards. "We got this guys."

Sayaka nods besides her and says matter-of-factly, "Exactly. Besides, we're the only ones who are allowed to bother the prefects."

Zero stares at them blankly. He's pretty sure that no one has the 'privilege' of annoying the prefects on a daily basis.

Also, as he frowns and looks incredulously at all of them, who the hell in their right mind would come up here?

All of the girls ignore him though as they all glare at the hunters for the supposed offense.

…What…is happening right now?

Zero lifts his head and Kaname looks back at him with an equally surprised expression. Yuki furrows her eyebrows as she comes to a stop besides them.

Takuma looks uncertainly to the crowd before glancing at Kaname. Should they intervene?

A girl with short bobbed hair taps her foot impatiently and retorts, "Oi, old man. Corporal punishment is outlawed in school."

The girl besides her with a red headband nods in agreement and says sharply, "I don't know what that all was, and I don't care. What do you think you're doing, putting a hand on us?"

"What are you protecting? The students or your puny, nonexistent pride?"

One of the hunters says incredulously, "You-"

"We what? Huh?" A girl with two long braids frowns and glares disdainfully at him. "Even if we're being brats, you have no excuse for acting violently towards us."

"Shameful."

Sato interrupts to correct them, "We did not attack you girls-"

"You attacked Kiryu! And he's a student."

A curly black haired girl frowns and adds indignantly, "Don't even deny it! We saw you push him on purpose earlier."

"Physical assault!"

"Abuse of authority!"

A girl with short dark bluish black hair stares flatly at them and says monotonously, "Good for nothing ossans."

One of the hunters looks at her and splutters, "O-ossans?"

"Bullies!"

"Police brutality!"

"We know our rights!"

"That's right! Adachi-sensei told us about our constitutional rights last week in class!"

"Why did you even agree to take a job at an academy? Huh?"

"Don't take a job at a school if you hate kids!"

Sato frowns and says, "You all need to-"

Sayaka skips forward closer to Sato, forcing him to take a step back. She tilts her head back and hums, "We all need to what? Hmm? What are you going to do?"

Kaori deliberately sidles up to the guy next to Sato, hands on her hips, and taunts, "Use your fists again?" She narrows her eyes and her voice drops. "I suggest you use your words and remember your position. If you even mess up my braid, I will consider it assault and battery."

"That's right! Have you been watching too many action movies, ossans? Here in the real world, lawsuits are a very real thing."

At their lead, the rest of the girls press even closer to all of the guards and Zero watches incredulously as this time, the girls all force the hunters to take a step back.

"Yeah, old man! What are you going to do to a group of defenseless girls?"

"We all have witnesses! Hey, Ayame-chan, are you taking pictures of this?"

"Pictures?" A girl with two long pigtails tilts her head and flicks her wrist to show off her pastel pink phone case emblazoned with glittering cupcakes. She smirks. "What kind of blogger do you think I am?"

"Oi, tell us your names. _Now_. I want to know what to put down when I file the claim."

"Don't think that just because we're girls or students that we will be intimidated by you."

A girl with her hair tied back in a half ponytail with a pale blue ribbon crosses her arms and says matter of factly, "My mother taught me better than to let any guy treat me like this."

"Go spend your lives alone with no girlfriend, worthless ossans!"

"What's going on here?"

Zero stops staring blankly – hell, he has no idea what is going on anymore- and turns towards the new voice.

Yagari and Kaito are standing at the steps of the entrance with varied expressions of disgruntlement and wariness.

A hunter frowns and says, "Yagari-san, these girls are-"

Sakaya interrupts to argue hotly, "We're just doing what you taught us in class, Yagari-sensei."

Kaori agrees and declares, "Yeah. We saw a grave injustice committed before us and we will not tolerate it."

"That's right. We are not going to be passive bystanders!"

"We have a voice and we will be heard!"

Yagari raises an eyebrow and gazes warily at the scene. "And what exactly is this grave injustice?"

"They pushed us. Kaori almost fell and they hit Kiryu-san!"

"Unforgiveable."

"Completely."

Yagari frowns then and looks sharply to Sato, "You hit a student?"

"You cannot be serious. You are-"

Kaito interrupts to say harshly, "Putting a physical hand on a student is nothing to joke about, dumbass. What the hell are you all even doing here? No one assigned you to oversee the class changeover."

"This is none of your business, Kaito."

Kaito raises an eyebrow and retorts, "I'm a sensei now, and you're bothering my students. I'll make it my goddamned business."

At that, the girls clap and cheer in approval.

"You sound pretty cool, sensei."

"See? Takamiya-sensei gets it."

"I thought your art lessons were a little weird, but you totally redeemed yourself, Takamiya-sensei."

Sato glances at the girls again before he says disapprovingly, "These girls are out of control."

The girl closest to him immediately spins around and narrows her eyes. "Excuse you?"

Sato stiffens as the rest of the girls all turn to glare at him. "What did you just say to us?"

"Go look in the mirror before you insult someone."

"Yagari-sensei! Do you see this? These security guards are jerks!"

Yagari sighs wearily and he surveys the growing scene once more. He knew having hunters assigned here was a terrible idea. And for the guards to already garner the wrath of what looks like the entire female population in the school is completely absurd.

What he needs is a cigarette. To hell with Cross's no smoking rule.

Speaking of the man…His eyes flick to his right where Cross has finally come out. He regards the scene with a bewildered expression and asks, "What seems to be the commotion here?"

The girls all pause at the sudden appearance of Cross and one of them says quickly, "The new guards pushed me. And hit Kiryu-kun."

"Headmaster! Can you please fire all of them?"

Cross blinks for a few seconds before he finally says, "I see." His eyes flick to the Night Class students who are shifting restlessly and then back to the hunters. He frowns and says displeased, "All of you are to come see me immediately in my office."

"Cross-san – "

Cross raises an eyebrow and says more firmly, "That was not a request. Your behavior of late begs the need for reevaluation."

He stares pointedly at the hunters before Sato tenses and reluctantly follows him into the building with the rest of the hunters following after. Some of the girls start clapping in agreement with the chairman's decision.

Yagari sighs and calls out, "Oi, Night Class. Class has already started. Hurry up and go in before I mark all of you tardy."

He glances at Zero and surveys him critically. He seems fine though and Yagari nods towards Kaito before they both head back in.

Kaname looks towards Takuma who nods and waves his hand to say lightly, "You heard Yagari- sensei. We should all go in now."

Seiren pauses and glances at Kaname. He nods towards the building and her eyes flick to Zero and Yuki before she follows Takuma.

Most of the Night Class students also follow, some throwing curious glances towards the girls or Zero before heading in. Aido pauses and asks incredulously, "Wait…what? We're just going to leave? Is no one – I mean, all of this – This is weird."

Kain sighs and pushes him forward. "Hey! I wasn't done! Oi, Akatsu-"

Zero raises an eyebrow as the door shuts and cuts off Aido's exclamation. Yuki clears her throat besides him and looks towards the girls. She starts hesitantly, "I'm sorry, but everyone here needs to leave as well."

Sayaka waves a hand and says cheerfully, "Oh, don't worry! We'll go right now. We did our part already."

Zero glances at her and comments, "You didn't have to do all of that, you know. The chairman would have handled it."

Sayaka tilts her head and asks confusedly, "Hmm? Of course we did, silly. No one is supposed to infringe on our tradition."

Zero pauses and frowns. "What tradition? Annoying me is now a tradition?"

Kaori sidles up to Sayaka and pouts, "How mean. You don't enjoy the intelligent debates we share?"

Zero stares at them blankly. "…what intelligent debates? All you do is ask invasive questions about my personal life."

Kaori shrugs and counters, "And you prevent us from pursuing ours, so we're even."

"And besides," Sayaka starts as she shares a mischievous glance with the girls behind her and continues teasingly, "It's cute when we make you blush."

Zero glares at her. "You-"

The girls all giggle before they walk away. "See you in class tomorrow, prefects!"

Zero stares after them blankly. There is a pause of silence before Yuki giggles. He turns to give her a pointed look when Kaname comments amused now, "It seems that they rather like you."

Zero glances at him and frowns. "Shut up."

Yuki giggles again before she looks ta Kaname and asks curiously, "Kaname-senpai, shouldn't you go in?"

Kaname pauses before he smiles at her, "Yes, I will." He surveys her for a moment. "Are you ok, Yuki?"

Yuki blinks before she asks, "Do you mean from the entire…um… exchange?" At his nod, she shakes her head and says reassuringly, "I'm fine. Zero was the one who…"

Her voice trails off and she looks questioningly at Zero. Kaname also glances at him with a similar expression.

Zero furrows his eyebrows and grumbles, "I'm fine. Don't look at me like that."

Yuki sighs and shakes her head at him. Kaname looks at him again before accepting the answer. He turns to Yuki and says, "I'll go to class then, if everything is fine."

Yuki nods and smiles. Right before Kaname passes him, Kaname pauses and says quietly, "I'll come see you after class."

Zero blinks in surprise – What? Why? – and turns his head to question him, but the door closes and Kaname has already headed in.

He stares at the door before frowning.

"Zero?"

….He hates today. Nothing about today makes sense. Zero pauses and inwardly grimaces. That seems to be a recurring theme lately.

He starts walking out of the courtyard and glances behind him, saying impatiently, "Let's go, Yuki."

Yuki looks at him confused at the tone before she hurries after him.

Sleep deprived. That's what this is. This is all because he is sleep deprived. He needs a goddamned nap and after today, he damn well deserves one.

* * *

Kaname sighs and looks down at his watch. It's 6 am in the morning. He hesitates before knocking lightly on the door again.

He can sense the heartbeat inside the room. Zero must still be asleep then.

Kaname grimaces. He already knows that talking about this is not going to go well, so waking up Zero to have the said conversation does not seem at all advantageous.

Or wise.

Should he ask later today?

It isn't even Friday anymore. And he's so, so tired.

But, as his mind reminds him, he needs to go to the meeting with the council starting Monday; he needs to meet with Cross sometime today to discuss the issue of the guards; and tomorrow, he needs to meet with another council member to explain why he dismissed all the guards assigned to the dorms.

And somewhere in between all that, he would like to get some sleep.

Kaname is starting to despise the word 'meeting'.

He stares at the doorknob and sighs. He gingerly turns it, willing the metal gears to turn and click open.

He steps inside and takes care to close the door softly behind him.

Kaname scans the room quickly before his eyes land on the lump on the bed. He sighs and makes his way to the bed. Zero is faced away from him, deeply nestled into the covers.

It's a little odd that Zero has not sensed his arrival yet. Is Zero that deep of a sleeper?

His mind wanders back to that morning when it took Zero a painfully long time to notice Kaname. He pauses and stares at Zero hesitantly before Kaname reaches out to shake him gently on the arm. "Zero."

Zero does not stir and Kaname stares warily at him. He shakes Zero again. Zero shifts a little then, away from Kaname and buries himself deeper into the blankets.

Kaname frowns slightly and shakes him again. "Zero."

This time, Zero drowsily mumbles under his breath and a hand comes up to bat Kaname's hand away in irritation.

Kaname raises an eyebrow. "Zero." He tries again, shaking him even slightly harder and this time, Zero turns his face into the pillow with a muffled, "Go away."

Kaname prods him again, although he's starting to get the ominous feeling that waking Zero up might be the same thing as waking up a hibernating bear. It requires a lot of effort and the end result is not that favorable.

Zero growls and shoves the hand roughly away. Kaname thinks for a moment that Zero is finally waking up only to stare in exasperation as Zero only shifts even more away to his right.

"Zero. Wake up." Kaname does not know if Zero is awake and stubbornly trying to sleep or if this is some form of sleepwalking.

He frowns and prods Zero again more impatiently. "Zero." Zero only grumbles again and shifts away from the touch.

Kaname sighs and wrenches the covers away. Zero immediately groans and curls up from the sudden blast of cold air. With arms reaching out haphazardly, he feels blindly for the blankets and snatches them back, fingers gripping them tightly this time as he turns determinedly into his pillow and…Kaname is done with everything.

He does not understand how someone could sleep like this.

He leans down and thinks for a moment before reaching over and running a hand lightly over Zero's tattoo. Zero immediately flinches, hand reaching up to smack Kaname's hand away and grumbling sleepily, "Nngh. Stop it."

When Kaname does it again, Zero flinches again and this time he blinks his eyes open in alarm and rasps, "W-what the hell?"

Kaname watches Zero slowly sit up, sleepy eyes blinking rapidly around.

Zero groans as the room swirls dizzyingly in blurs of gray and white before he blinks again and his vision slowly clears. Somewhat anyways.

Is that….Kaname? No, he's still asleep. Yeah, that sounds better. Right.

Zero squints before he shakes his head and Kaname watches incredulously as he starts to sink back down, hands reaching out for the blankets again.

Kaname immediately reaches over and jerks him straight up. "Zero. _Wake up_."

Zero's eyes snap open again in surprise. The alarm finally clears away the thick cotton of sleep in his head, and he blinks again. Kaname?

He stares confusedly at Kaname who looks completely exasperated.

Kaname. This is Kaname. Zero blinks again. Why is he here? In his room? _Again_?

This…This is starting to feel familiar. Like deja-vu. And, fuck, his head hurts.

Zero grimaces as his thoughts come thundering through at a speed that his sleep-addled mind is too sluggish to handle. He closes his eyes and drags a hand across his face.

God, he needs this to be a dream, a nightmare, whatever. It just needs to be some figment of his imagination. Something he can blame on the sleep-deprivation that he can still feel.

Zero winces as his head throbs and manages out, voice still hoarse with sleep. "Kaname? What…what are you doing here?"

Kaname does not answer and Zero peers up at him to see him shift a little uncomfortably and say apologetically, "I had to talk to you about something."

Zero stares at him uncomprehendingly. Talk? Now? At...at…what time is it?

He turns to his right and squints at the clock. What?

He does a double take, irritation starting to overtake his disorientation and confusion. No, the numbers are still there, blinking in red as if to mock him. Why the fuck does it say 6am?

He scowls. 6 am?

On impulse, he hurls a pillow at Kaname who catches it with a look of surprise. Zero glares at him and growls, "You're lucky today is Saturday or I might shoot you instead." He mutters under his breath, "On second thought, I take that back."

It's because today is Saturday that he should be able to _sleep in_.

Kaname stares at him before he says dryly, "I did tell you, didn't I?"

Zero scowls again and snaps, "When you said after class, I thought you meant at 1 am or 2am. Some of us don't keep to the fucked up hours that you guys do. " Zero glares at him again and continues, voice rising in indignation. "You're such an asshole. Why would you wake me up at bloody six in the morning?"

Kaname frowns slightly as Zero cusses aloud again. Clearly, Zero is not a morning person.

He sighs and waits for Zero to calm down before handing the pillow back to Zero who accepts it grudgingly and with another glare.

"I had to handle the guards after class, Zero. It took a while."

Zero stills, eyes flicking back to Kaname, and asks warily, "What happened?"

Kaname raises an eyebrow at the change in tone before he realizes how his statement came off as. He corrects himself, "I meant that I had to dismiss them."

Zero blinks and asks incredulously, "You dismissed them? As in…kicking them out from the school?'

Kaname shrugs. "They are allowed to patrol the perimeter of the academy but nowhere on the actual main campus itself or near the dormitory anymore."

Zero considers his words for a moment before he says hesitantly, "Are you sure…that it's ok for you to do that?"

Kaname watches him for a moment, surprised by the question, before he answers, "The chairman is doing the same thing to the hunters."

"He is?" Zero pauses for a moment before muttering, "I guess that's good. It'll make patrolling a little easier anyways." He glances at Kaname and asks, "That isn't what you came here to tell me, right?"

He frowns and grumbles, "Because you could have told me that anytime later. Or I would have heard from Kaito or the chairman even."

Zero still is peeved at him for waking him up, it seems. Kaname sighs. This has been a long night. He looks at Zero again and wonders how he should start this.

Zero stares back warily, noticing the slight hesitation. "Kaname?"

Kaname starts slowly, "The council is having an important meeting, so I will be gone all of next week."

Zero blinks, not expecting that answer and not really knowing where this is going either. He says hesitantly, "Alright…Is that…it?"

Kaname looks at him carefully and asks, "Do…do you want me to give you blood now?"

It takes a moment for the words to register and another for him to wonder incredulously why Kaname thinks that's even a remotely good idea. Give him blood? Now? After – after what happened last time?

Zero widens his eyes in panic and blurts out, "No!"

Kaname blinks. "Zero…"

He shakes his head and protests, "No! We might - no. No."

Bad idea. Terrible idea. Giving and taking blood…All of the things that Kaname told him about bonds rushes through his head again as an unwanted reminder.

Even if the bond has not really done anything dramatic or severe – or well, the odd sensation he felt during the explosion was not…normal, but it was not permanent either - Zero is not keen on experimenting with the bond and seeing what else it can be capable of.

No, he rather leave it untouched and locked away somewhere deep in the box of self-denial that he keeps buried at the back of his mind.

…How the hell can Kaname even consider the idea? Isn't it bad enough that they _are_ bonded? And now he wants to go and do the very thing that probably started this entire catastrophe in the first place?

Kaname cringes slightly at what Zero is referring to, but continues on, "It has been three weeks since I've given you blood."

"I know how long it's been," Zero retorts. "The last time you gave me blood, we-" He stops himself and his cheeks redden a little. He says quickly instead, "I have my bloodthirst under control."

Kaname stares at him in exasperation – he isn't particularly enthusiastic about this idea either - and counters, "Zero, you cannot subjugate your bloodthirst by pure will all week."

Zero frowns. "I can."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow and asks dryly, "Are you going to avoid taking blood from me from this point on?"

Zero shifts uncomfortably and shrugs. "I'll take blood tablets."

Kaname looks at him incredulously before saying flatly, "If you were able to take them, would we be here in this situation?" He shakes his head. "You're being ridiculous."

Zero automatically glowers at him and retorts, "Shut up. You-No. I'm not taking blood from you."

"And who else would you take blood from?" When Zero does not answer, Kaname glances over at him and frowns when he sees the contemplative expression. He says sharply, "That was a rhetorical question, Zero."

Zero glances at him and answers sourly, "Taking blood from you is a bad idea."

"And so is taking it from someone else," Kaname responds, voice deep with frustration. When Zero only frowns and looks away stubbornly, Kaname narrows his eyes.

Is Zero honestly considering this?

The mere thought sends hot irritation streaking sharply through him, and he finds himself thoroughly averse at the idea. His eyes darken and he says edgily, "I'm not letting my mate drink from someone else."

Zero blinks at the sharp tone and turns to stare wide-eyed at Kaname, who looks as equally surprised by his own words. His mind trips over the word 'mate' and all his thoughts collapse into a tangle of incoherency.

Kaname swallows, completely stunned at his impeccable ability today to say things he didn't mean to say aloud. He – he should have waited later today to approach Zero about this. Evening would have been more than fine. Why did he feel the need to come as soon as possible?

…All of his usual level-headedness seems to be used up by the paperwork today. Perhaps he really is sleep deprived or…stressed because this is not like him.

"Kaname?"

Kaname clears his throat and says, "Zero, you can't avoid this forever. We're…already bonded. How on earth could this get worse?"

H-How? In multiple goddamned ways.

Zero stares disbelievingly at him and splutters, "What do you mean how? – Do you really want me to say it aloud?"

When Kaname stays silent, Zero says exasperated, "See? Even you think it's a bad idea." He continues quickly, "Let's just put it off."

Kaname frowns. "It doesn't matter what I think. Do you honestly that it's wise to wander around and have your blood thirst unchecked when there are hunters on campus now?"

Zero bites his lips and looks away, unable to find a counter to Kaname's frustrating logic. Damn it. He pauses for another moment before he says reluctantly, "Fine."

Kaname sighs. "Alright then." He hesitates for a moment before methodically unbuttoning the blazer and loosening the tie. He glances at Zero who is still looking uncomfortably away. "Zero?"

Zero turns to look at him hesitantly. Kaname starts slowly, "Where do you want me to sit?"

Sit? Zero blinks and finally notices that he's still sitting in bed while Kaname has been standing all this time. He shrugs and scooches over to his right, limbs still tangled in the bedsheets. He says distractedly, "Here's fine, I guess."

It's not like he has any other furniture in his room. Well, besides the chair next to his desk. And even that is occupied by the stack of textbooks and random papers that he keeps forgetting to put away.

Kaname's flick from the bed to Zero again. Zero furrows his eyebrows at the odd expression in Kaname's face as he turns and sits on the side of the bed.

Zero immediately widens his eyes and protests quickly, "I didn't mean it like that. I-this-" He stops and looks stricken at Kaname.

Kaname's lips twitch upwards and he remarks lightly, "I didn't say anything, Zero."

Zero's cheeks redden and his eyes dart away. He says instantly, "I take it back. I don't want to do this. This- this is a bad idea." He glances disconcertedly back at Kaname and catches the amusement simmering in his eyes. His eyebrows furrow and he gripes, "Stop staring at me like that. Kaname, you-"

Zero stops himself and gives Kaname an exasperated glare. Kaname hides a growing smile and hears Zero muttering under his breath about how he has a twisted sense of humor. He represses another smile and says, voice undeniably warm with amusement. "Zero, you're making this more difficult than it is."

Zero gives him a dirty look and retorts, "The last time you said that, we ended up being bonded together."

He bites his lips and hesitates a moment before pushing back the covers to move closer to Kaname.

Kaname notes that he's wearing a light grey tee-shirt this time with black sweatpants. Zero's hair is roughly mussed, silver strands sticking up haphazardly. Red sleep lines are etched on his cheek where Kaname assumes that it was pressed against the pillow from before.

Zero suddenly nudges him in the shoulder as he shuffles across the bed covers to sit near Kaname's side and says crossly, "You're looking at me too closely."

He grimaces as a wave of goosebumps race up his arms and Zero instinctively crosses his arms. Maybe he should start wearing long sleeved shirts when going to bed now.

Geez, it's winter already. He should have been wearing them some time ago.

Kaname does not miss the slight shiver and asks curiously, "Are you cold?"

Zero blinks – he didn't think Kaname would notice – and shrugs, "A little. It's fine."

Kaname glances at the two blankets sprawled messily over the covers. Zero…seems like he gets cold easily. He looks back at Zero and takes in the thin t-shirt. He frowns, "Why don't you wear a sweater?"

"I'm _fine_." Zero grouses and continues a little irritatedly, "Didn't you want to – Kaname?"

He blinks bewilderedly as Kaname suddenly leans over him and drops down one of the blankets on his shoulders. Kaname does not even register Zero's surprise and only fixes his eyes on him. He admonishes, "You should take better care of yourself."

Zero stares at him. Normally, the patronizing words would automatically irritate him, but they're spoken in a different context right now. Kaname looks genuinely exasperated and the lecturing tone somehow makes him feel like he's suddenly a child.

He idly tugs the ends of the blanket closer and looks away to grumble, "You didn't have to do that."

Kaname only sighs before looking at him questioningly. "Zero?"

Zero looks back and sees the pointed look. He scans Kaname's neck before he asks hesitantly, "What if…what I drink from your wrist this time?"

Wrist? Kaname pauses before sudden realization flashes through and his gaze slides to Zero's tattoo. "Because of the bond?"

Zero shrugs and comments, "It might affect us less."

…And alright, it's also because he can't remember how he used to take blood from Kaname before and it's just…awkward.

Kaname does not press any further and says easily, "Alright."

He rolls up his sleeve and offers his wrist out, inside facing up. Zero glances at it hesitantly and murmurs helplessly, "We're really going to do this?"

Kaname sighs and gazes back impatiently at him. "Zero, please. Just…do it."

Zero swallows and stares down at the proffered hand. He reaches out, the cotton blanket sliding down his back as he does so. His fingers gingerly clasp the wrist, thumb resting over the edge of the open palm. Blue veins peek under from the pale, smooth skin.

Without thinking, his thumb skims lightly across the warm skin to trace the one of the blue veins up from the wrist to the palm.

Kaname stiffens slightly at the touch. It leaves a fleeting tingle, ticklish and light, like a butterfly wing grazing his skin. "Zero?"

Zero bites his lips and says helplessly, "…I can't do it."

He really can't. Seeing that expanse of bare skin feels so vulnerable, delicate. The thought of piercing it makes him shift uneasily.

His bloodthirst is always there, muted but always painfully still present, simmering deep under his thoughts. He knows that, but when the sharp edge of bloodthirst isn't pressing into him yet, the dark, raw desire has not carved into his sanity yet…

He…he doesn't want to willingly delve into that insatiable darkness. Does not want to fall in the claws of a monster he detests so much and cannot control.

Not when the monster is undeniably a part of him and…and not when his bloodthirst should ever be something to be complacent with.

Kaname furrows his eyebrows at the sudden troubled expression that shadows Zero's features. He asks in growing concern, "Zero, what's wrong?"

Zero looks away and says quietly, "I'm not hungry. And it's - it's weird biting you."

Kaname watches him for a moment and says carefully, "Just relax and go by your instincts."

Zero's expression stiffens at that. Kaname pauses in realization and his expression softens. "Zero, I know you don't like accepting it, and that is fine. But you don't need to be on the edge of bloodthirst every time to drink."

Zero frowns and stays quiet. Kaname watches as Zero deliberates for a moment, warring emotions in his deep lilac eyes. He seemingly comes to a decision and gazes searchingly at Kaname. "Stop me if I go too far."

Kaname nods.

Zero exhales slowly. His fingers tighten and he brings the wrist slowly up to his face. His eyes flick over the pale skin, the blue veins once more before he closes his eyes and focuses on the heartbeat thudding over and over and over again. Imagines the warm, vibrant blood swirling steadily through the veins, calling to him.

Kaname gazes down and watches as Zero opens his eyes again, the irises gleaming a bright, startling red. Zero grips his wrist and bites down, sharp fangs immediately piercing through. Kaname flinches slightly at the prick of white-hot pain before the sensation subsides quickly and fades.

There is a sharp tingle that runs through his neck, almost as if in warning, as Zero stops immediately at Kaname's reaction. He looks up concernedly at Kaname.

Kaname is taken a little back at the clear concern filtering through those eyes despite the bloodthirst and vaguely notes that Zero seems able to control his bloodthirst better than he gives himself credit for. Zero looks alarmed though and Kaname reassures him softly, "It's fine. Go ahead."

Zero wavers, but Kaname's blood already spills onto his tongue and makes his decision for him. He sucks lightly in apology before drinking in earnest.

The blood feels warm, tastes warm. Like thick amber honey that pools down and oozes through. It does not taste as devastatingly saccharine sweet as last time, but the blood is still that intoxicating concoction of golden nectar and dark chocolates.

It tastes so rich and heady on his tongue, the taste a beguiling siren that tempts his thirst instead of slaking it. There is a deep instinctive feel – taste - _something_ \- to it that is all undeniably Kaname.

Zero closes his eyes and takes another long swallow.

The warmth runs down smoothly down his throat, drops down into his stomach, and spreads out lazily through him. His neck tingles, sending another flush of heat through him.

It does not feel overwhelming though.

Not…not like last time where there was wave after wave of burning heat that swirled and coursed through all of his nerves.

No, this time, the heat radiates out softly and slowly through his veins, lazily curling at the edges. Like sunshine kissing his skin on a spring day. A sense of inexplicable familiarity and ease sets in him. It thrums under the warmth, rushing unhurriedly in time with Kaname's steady heartbeat.

It feels good. Reassuring.

The warmth settles over him with the comforting nostalgia of an old blanket, wrapping slowly around him, through him. He stills for a moment, and feels inexplicably reluctant to upset the sensation less it slips off his shoulders and through his fingers.

Zero stops drinking and closes his eyes, breathing in the feeling and sinking into the warmth, his neck tingling gently as if in contentment.

Kaname breathes out slowly and slumps back against the wooden headboard without noticing.

It feels…nice.

His neck tingles, but the thrum is pleasant but bearable. There is no ache, no insistent demand. The warmth that spreads through him is not burning through his nerves, drowning out his thoughts.

No, it feels subtle and comforting. Light and airy like a caress. It swirls languidly through him, lazy and gentle. He can feel it spreading through his muscles slowly, tendrils of soft sunlight seeping in, undoing all of his knots.

Kaname sighs and relaxes.

The heat is a light, comfortable haze that ripples through and lulls his thoughts to rest, like a warm breeze on a summer day that makes him feel incredibly tranquil and lethargic with sleep.

All of his worries seemingly disappear under that golden sheen of warmth. His mind is startlingly clear and calm like the glassy, smooth surface of a pond.

God, that sudden weightlessness feels refreshing, soothing to his stressed nerves.

He hears Zero's heartbeat steadying, beating evenly and slowly. His mind idly runs through the beats over and over again. Zero sounds calm now. Good…Reassuring….He blinks slowly, eyelids suddenly heavy and lowering down more and more.

Zero opens his eyes slowly as he finally notices that Kaname has not said anything for some time now. Odd.

He lifts his head up, the sense of comfort and peace so full and thoroughly sating that Zero finds it surprisingly easy to stop and withdraw.

He gazes down at the wrist and watches, slight fascinated, as the wound quickly closes up and stitches back together. Zero looks up then and calls out softly, "Kaname?"

Kaname does not answer. Zero furrows his eyebrows as he leans forward in alarm. Did he take too much blood?

He stills in surprise when he sees that Kaname is fast asleep, head dropping to one side and legs still dangling over the side even as his back presses against the headboard. Zero pauses and winces a little at the uncomfortable position.

How can anyone sleep so soundly like that?

His eyes flick over Kaname unsurely. Kaname's chest slowly rises up and down with deep, steady breaths. He really does look like he's fast asleep.

"Kaname?"

Zero bites his lips. What should he do? He can't just leave Kaname there, right?

He scans Kaname again and takes in the exhaustion and weariness etched into his face, the smidges of darkness under the eyes. It looks like he's sleeping for the first time in days.

And well considering how his patrols have left him severely sleep deprived, Zero can only imagine what Kaname has been dealing these past two week with his own issues with the council and whatnot.

Slight guilt nudges at him for not at least noticing this before he took Kaname's blood. And Kaname looks so…peaceful. Zero suddenly feels loathe to disrupt him.

Zero deliberates for another moment before sighing.

Before he can change his mind, he carefully moves Kaname's legs up on the bed. Kaname stirs slightly then, eyes blearily half open. "Mmm?"

Zero gazes at him uncertainly, but Kaname closes his eyes again, well under the pull of sleep. Zero pauses and murmurs, "You're going to give yourself a crick in the neck, idiot."

He reaches out and tugs him gently down so that Kaname can lay down properly. Kaname makes another indistinct noise before easily following Zero's prodding and relaxing once more.

Zero gazes at him wonderingly for another moment. This is a side of Kaname he never expected. It brings with it a trust that Zero wonders if Kaname even realizes he has offered.

Zero frowns in exasperation. What is he thinking? People drop down their guards all the time when they're asleep.

He settles and sits back on his heels on the bed. What...is he supposed to do now? He glances at the clock.

7:30.

…shit, that's still pretty early for a Saturday. He could go and… take a shower and…eat breakfast?

The thought of stomaching food makes him inwardly groan and getting up to walk on the cold wooden floor makes him cringe anticipatorily. He feels completely satiated, the fullness leaving him lazy and drowsy.

Honestly, he wants to go back to sleep and do nothing for the rest of the day.

His eyes flick to Kaname a little crossly. If they had done this at a more reasonable hour, like say at night, Zero could have had the excuse of going out on a patrol; instead of sitting here in his own bed wondering what to do with himself.

Well…it is his bed. He could…just sleep on the other side. Just…sleep and ignore the fact that there…is…someone else in…his bed?

…Zero inwardly groans and cusses in his head. Stupid. That's a stupid idea. It screams stupidity.

What the hell is he even thinking? Is he trying to tempt the universe today and see how much weirder things can get?

Still…his eyes reflexively flick to the empty side of the bed on which he's kneeling on, unable to stop himself from considering what he knows is a completely unwise decision.

Fuck it. It's _his_ bed. It's Saturday. He doesn't care. Doesn't care. Nope. He's overthinking everything. Clearly.

He settles back on the bed and buries himself under the covers, determinedly turning away from Kaname and facing the wall instead.

Sleeping things away is the epitome of self-denial – you see nothing, you think about nothing - and Zero is completely fine with that.

He'll just sleep and who knows? Maybe – hopefully – Kaname will wake up before him and leave before things get awkward and this will be one of the things between them that they simply will not talk about.

Of which there are starting to be many.

Zero cringes and sighs as he closes his eyes.

Waking up at someone at 6am…stupid purebloods and their retarded sense of time…

* * *

Fuck. Fuck.

He narrows his eyes and sprints down the cobblestone street, wind whipping sharply against his face. His boots skid down the slippery cobblestones, and he immediately rights himself.

No time. No time.

He grips the gun tightly and scans around him quickly as he ducks quickly into another alley. Pain sears through his right leg, a red angry throb that makes his heartbeat tick erratically under his skin. Blood trickles down his calf, making his pants stick clammily to his skin.

He bites back another groan and shoves away the pain as he forces himself to race through the dingy alley. Shit. Shit. Where is he?

Downtown Ok. He's somewhere downtown.

He hears the distant thud of boots pounding against the cobblestone and grimaces. Not far enough. He's not far enough.

He needs to get out. Shit. Shit.

There.

The yellow graffiti scrawled on a collapsed brick wall makes him pause, boots scraping against the pavement in halt. Abandoned warehouse.

Adrenaline skyrockets through him, heartbeat roaring in his ears.

He sprints by the graffiti and leaps up, hand grabbing the window sill to vault through the shattered window. He winces as white-hot pain erupts, slicing cleanly through his side. He quickly presses a hand down and frowns when he feels warm, sticky fluid stream against his palm.

Damn. He was shot twice? Shit. This is not looking well. Not looking fucking good at all.

He looks around quickly. His hand throbs dully and he dimly registers that the glass shards embedded into his palm.

He grimaces. He needs a plan. A plan.

White plastered pillars here and there. Metal pipes hissing and dropping down from the walls and the ceiling. He glances out the shattered windows. Pale yellow and pinks are starting to lighten the dark grey sky.

Hell of a way to start his morning.

He tenses. What should he do? He doesn't have much time. He can't hide here. They'll find him soon enough. He stares down at the blood seeping quickly through his shirt and his pants. He's in no shape to keep running either.

His jaw clenches and his eyes narrow. Last stand. He'll make his last stand here.

He quickly digs out the items under his jacket and flicks over the pillars once more.

He's just about finished his preparations when the metal door clangs open and he automatically raises his gun in that direction.

"Quietly turn yourself in, Kawada."

He smirks and laughs. "Quietly?" He shakes his blood covered hand mockingly. "A little too late to say that when you shoot someone."

"You didn't leave me a choice. And you know what you did, traitor."

He scowl and spits out venomously, "Traitor? I don't want to hear that bullshit from you hypocrites."

"Don't look so righteous. You committed the bombing."

He raises an eyebrow and ignores the splitting pain in his side. "You sound angry. Too bad it didn't kill him. Or you." He grits his teeth and glares. " _All of you deserve to die_."

"You-"

He cocks the gun, the sound echoing in the air. It's a meaningless gesture as the three only do the same. He's outnumbered but it doesn't matter anymore. He hisses out angrily, "I will never forgive you. Never. You piece of shit and that snake you call president now."

His voice rises and he growls, "Or what you _have_ done. What you _are_ doing. Trash like you need to be thrown and incinerated!"

"Tall words for someone who didn't let the fact that it was an academy stop you from detonating. There were other people besides the ones you wanted to target."

He tightens his grip on the gun and scoffs, "Like the lives of some bloodsuckers bothers me or you. As for Cross and the others, well," He narrows his eyes and snarls, "You would know all about _acceptable_ casualties, now wouldn't you?"

"If this is about Hoshino, I told you that was an unfortunate accident. We didn't expect her to be there. I never thought you were particularly bright, but even you exceeded my expectations of how stupid you can be."

He narrows his eyes, jagged anger pulsing through him. The bastard. His fingers tighten impossibly on the gun, knuckles white.

Dead. He wants all of them _dead._ Shoot them full of bullets, burn them all alive.

How _dare_ they?

How dare they say it's an accident?

Shiori _died_ – he'll never see her again, her smile, the way her eyes glow when she would say that she loved him - and these bastards talk as if they're filling out some goddamned paperwork.

He'll take ten times the blood that was spilt and it would never be enough to calm the fury, the rage he feels right now.

It will never be enough to fill the gaping hole in his chest. It will never be enough to give him back the life that they stole away from him.

They will all pay. By his hand, by their own. In the end, they will all _pay_.

He says lowly, "Don't ever say her name. I never want to hear that name drop from your lips. And don't think I'm the only one who wants your head. All the ones you silenced, the deaths you covered up…" He sneers and mocks, "They have family and loved ones too, you know. I'd watch my back from now on if I were you."

"And if they're all as reckless as you, I don't think they'll be much of a threat. Is that all, Kawada?"

He laughs humorlessly. "Are you asking for my last words? I don't know what exactly you guys are planning, but all this shit you're doing is going to bite you in the ass. You _will_ regret it."

He smirks, eyes flicking to the pillar, and says darkly, "So let me save you the trouble and drag you down to hell with me."

Beep.

BOOM!

* * *

Ryuu coughs. The acrid smoke sours the air. Everything swirls thickly with dust and ash. His ears ring incessantly. That crazy lunatic actually went and blew up the entire place. God.

He winces and finally notices the piece of mangled metal door and rubble pinning him heavily down down.

He had heard the beep and reflexively thrown himself as quickly as he could out the door. Some of the debris had probably helped shield him. He winces as white hot pain races through as he tries to get up.

As well as crush him.

It feels like he broke his ribs. He gingerly tests out his limbs and winces when pain flares up in his left leg and right arm. Damn. He probably broke his leg too and his arm is hanging at an angle that he isn't all that thrilled with either.

He takes a deep steadying breath before he shoves at the jagged piece of rubble just enough so that he can slide out from underneath.

Shit. He was too careless. He should not have allowed Kawada the chance to run away much less lure them into an abandoned building.

He will not make that mistake again.

He grits his teeth and slowly leans up against a jagged piece of the brick wall. Ryuu scans his surroundings wearily. There is a charred, blackened body over there in the distance. Kawada probably.

The two hunters he came with are somewhere on his left. One is lying unconscious or dead – he can't tell from here - and the other is spluttering for breath. He narrows his eyes and sees a metal pipe piercing through the man's shoulder.

Damn it. He fishes for his phone and hopes that it has not been crushed. By some miracle, it isn't and he fumbles to press the buttons.

It rings for an excruciating minute where the shrill sounds exactly mirror the ones still echoing in his ears. There is a burst of static before a calm, deep voice asks, "Yes? Ryuu, how did it go?"

Ryuu winces as his head harshly throbs. He rasps out, "Kawada blew himself up along with a warehouse. We're at the lower section of downtown. By the abandoned fabric factories."

The president asks immediately, "Do you need medical aid?"

He nods before realizing that it can't be seen and says hurriedly, "Yes, we do." He bites back another groan and tries to ignore the growing pain and continues breathlessly, "It was my fault. I a-apologize. I was too careless. I should have eliminated him immediately instead of talking."

There are indistinct urgent murmurs in the background before the president continues, "Did Kawada say anything?"

"It seems that he knew nothing of our project. He just wanted revenge for his lover's death."

Takenaka does not comment and instead announces, "The medical team has been dispatched. I will also send some men to help control the scene."

Ryuu winces again and asks, "How are we going to explain this? That Kawada resorted to desperate measures?"

There is a beat of silence and he can tell that the president is considering his words. He finally answers gravely, "No. If it was revealed that a hunter was trying to assassinate his own president, it would invite unwanted attention and suspicions."

"I understand."

"Old buildings are susceptible to gas pipe leakages. It is unfortunate that it happened as all four of you were patrolling."

Ryuu pauses before understanding, "I agree."

* * *

Takuma sighs and flips through the documents once more. He eyes the desk warily. Is it just him or does the paperwork look like it…has multiplied?

He hears the door to the study swing open and Seiren walks in with the…oddest expression he has ever seen on her. In fact, she seems rather…distracted.

Takuma blinks and asks curiously, "Is everything alright? Didn't you go find Kaname?" He glances behind her and continues surprised, "Where is he?"

Seiren stops suddenly and stares at him, eyes so fixated and scrutinizing, that Takuma stiffens slightly and gazes bewilderedly back. "Seiren?"

She blinks slowly and says finally, "Kaname-sama is...occupied."

"Occupied?" Takuma lifts an eyebrow and comments concernedly, "He hasn't come back since…" He pauses, trying to remember. They had to handle the guards after class. Kaname had disappeared somewhere after that, but when Takuma woke up later today – barely an hour ago – Kaname was not in his room, so…

He continues, "Morning, if I recall. It is already past four."

Takuma frowns. Perhaps, he met with Cross afterwards. But still, would it take that long?

Seiren speaks up then, eyes roving over the now neatly arranged files, "Does the paperwork need to be completed by today?"

Takuma pauses and says thoughtfully, "There are some documents that should be signed and looked over immediately." He shrugs and smiles. "But, the rest could wait until Kaname refreshes himself."

Seiren nods and he continues on concernedly, "Speaking of which, I don't think he has rested at all yet." He sighs. Kaname has a rather bad habit of overworking himself. He immediately stands up from the sofa and says, "I'll go find him."

Seiren's eyes flash to him and she says quickly, "You should not."

Takuma blinks, surprised at the urgency in her tone. "Seiren?"

She pauses to recompose herself before she says more firmly and matter-of-factly, "I was unclear. He is resting at the moment. We should not bother him."

Resting? He gazes back at Seiren curiously. Kaname isn't in the dorms. Where could he be resting?

Seiren looks meaningfully at him and Takuma wonders if he should press the issue. He says slowly, "…I see." He sits back down and starts, "I suppose, I will help with whatever paperwork I can in the meanwhile."

Takuma glances at the desk again and then turns back to Seiren, but before he could even say anything, she states, "I will bring you coffee."

"Ah, coffe-?" Takuma blinks as he stares at Seiren's already retreating back and the door to the study closes with a click. Is…he missing something here?

He stares around at the now empty room and murmurs, "…Alright."

It's just him and the paperwork, he supposes. He sighs. Wonderful.


	7. The Gunpowder in Our Blood Ignites and We all Burn with the Flames

 

**Chapter 7 : The Gunpowder in Our Blood Ignites and We all Burn with the Flames**

Kaname stirs slightly. His consciousness flickers and has his fingers twitching. It rustles his thoughts from rest, and he faintly realizes that blank haze he was under must have been sleep. He exhales softly.

Does he need to wake up right now?

He rather sink back into whatever formless darkness sleep is, but awareness tugs at him. The peace, the blissfulness of sleep slips out of his fingers as his mind disentangles itself from the deep embrace of slumber.

Mmn. He grimaces as his eyelids, still so heavy with slumber, blink open on their own accord. He gazes blearily around, but the colors blur by and nothing registers.

Kaname murmurs indistinctly and closes his eyes briefly again before they flutter open again. This time, the world around him wavers slightly before the lines and shapes sharpen. He blinks again, eyes roving around. He dimly recognizes that this isn't his room - remembers that it's Zero's - but sleep still has its heavy imprint over his thoughts and the fact does not incite as much surprise or alarm as it should.

Something feels ticklish on his neck.

Kaname breathes in slowly and tiredly opens his eyes to look towards the source. He stares blankly down to see a mass of silver hair under his chin.

He stills and blinks. Zero?

What?

Surprise prickles through him, clearing away some of the dusky fog dampening his thoughts. Kaname stares down with increasing bewilderment. What?

His drowsy mind finally registers the warm, heavy pressure pressing down on his side.

Kaname pauses and notices that he is lying on his back, a little turned towards Zero, but Zero is sleeping entirely on his side, turning towards him.

His eyes travel down and widen at their position.

Zero has his head resting innocuously on top of his chest, warm cheek pressed against his shirt. He has an arm resting on Kaname's stomach, fingers gripping the shirt, and a leg thrown haphazardly over and in between Kaname's legs. Kaname himself has an arm curled around Zero, hand resting on Zero's back while his free arm rests loosely by his side.

He reflexively starts to shift, but Kaname immediately freezes when the movement drags against the limbs pressed against him. He widens his eyes and flexes his limbs cautiously.

He…he can't move without waking Zero up.

His mind, completely awake now, rummages immediately through the memories of yesterday – or well, technically, of this morning.

He gave blood to Zero, didn't he? Kaname remembers the soothing warmth washing over him, how easy it was to surrender to the odd serenity… He must have dozed off then.

Kaname glances down at Zero, careful not to jostle him as he does so.

Zero did not wake him up?

He pauses. Somehow he feels a little more surprised at that fact than their current position. Kaname gazes down wonderingly at Zero before his lips twitch into a small smile.

Zero is…decidedly more soft-hearted than anyone would assume. The thoughts of last week surfaces through his mind again. It reminds Kaname of the tenderness in those reckless fingers, that unexpected concern, those impulsive words that he finds himself so fascinated by.

Kaname's eyes flick over Zero's face softened with sleep. He looks . . . peaceful. Calm.

It is not an expression that he sees often on Zero, if quite ever. At least not around him.

Unable to help himself, he curiously reaches out with his free hand and brushes a knuckle lightly across Zero's cheekbone, barely grazing the warm, smooth skin. Zero does not stir and only continues sleeping on, head still pillowed on Kaname's chest.

Kaname marvels at how utterly oblivious Zero is to this situation, at how Zero is clutching on to him so innocently. He does not know whether to be amused by the irony, the outright bizarreness of the situation, or be bewildered at how they reached the point where they could sleep like this, side by side in bed.

His eyes flick back to Zero. There are no lines of stress or tension shadowing Zero's features. No scowl, no frown marring his skin. No, he looks completely at ease. Content even.

Something tightens inside of his chest and his neck tingles as Kaname continues to gaze down, fixated on the peace emanating gently from Zero.

. . . It feels rare, precious even because of that very same reason. It makes Kaname want to hold his breath in fear of breaking this trancelike peace, this moment that feels achingly fragile in his hands. There is such an . . . an innocence that he would never associate with Zero here, a vulnerability that tugs at Kaname.

His fingers reflexively twitch and Kaname tightens the arm around Zero unthinkingly. Transfixed, Kaname brushes his thumb over the soft curve of Zero's cheek wonderingly again.

He looks so _vulnerable_. So vulnerable and peaceful even though he's sleeping right next to a pureblood like him. The inherent trust, the careless innocence in that gesture makes Kaname swallow.

Kaname gazes down at Zero again.

He wants to keep this moment at a standstill, just so Zero can hold onto this peace. Even if only for another minute. All of the burdens that Kaname knows Zero carries deep down in himself are so breathlessly gone right now.

If anything, he wants to give Zero at least this, this moment where the gears of the clock seem to still and their whole world shrinks down to this small room.

He . . would not mind seeing this expression more often on Zero, not when Zero wears it so well.

Kaname wonders if Zero could feel this peaceful outside of sleep. He wonders . . . if he is the first person for Zero to ever show this expression to. The intimacy in this moment feels so sacred. He is torn between reveling in the rarity of it all and pulling Zero even closer. To hold him tight and sequester everything in this moment away so this delicate blissfulness does not shatter and dissolve in the air.

Kaname blinks abruptly. The undeniable possessiveness strumming through has him reeling back, and he stops himself, speechless at the unexpected thoughts and feelings.

What on earth is he thinking of right now?

Zero shifts slightly then. Kaname's eyes immediately snap to him. He holds his breath, but Zero does not wake up. Instead, he murmurs something indistinctly and curls even more into Kaname, head burrowing into Kaname's chest. There is another soft grumble before Zero brings his hand up to scratch at his cheek in agitation, swiping aside the strands of hair that tickle his skin and drop down into his eyes.

When he does it again, Kaname hesitates before he brings up his free hand up again, fingers carding gently through the soft, silky strands to brush them back from Zero's forehead. Zero sighs in contentment and relaxes, reminding Kaname for all of the world a lounging cat.

He watches fascinated as Zero unexpectedly turns into his touch and unable to help himself, Kaname runs his hand through again. And sure enough, the repetitive, gentle movements soon lull Zero back to sleep.

Kaname pauses. What…what is he doing? Shouldn't he waking Zero up instead?

He looks helplessly down at Zero, unable to understand why he finds the whole sight more endearing than he should or why the warmth from Zero pressing into him feels so comforting.

His eyes flick to the clock on the side dresser. It's about 7pm. He frowns slightly. They slept for quite a long time. Everyone must be wondering where he is by now.

What should he do?

The most rational thing would be to wake up Zero, but when Kaname looks down again to see Zero still holding on to him, peaceful and oblivious, he can't seem to find the resolve to disrupt that tranquility.

Kaname sighs and settles back, relaxing even further into the mattress as he tries not to think too much about this. The shared warmth from being so close together bleeds into his skin. It settles over him soft and heavy like a blanket.

Underneath his palm on Zero's back, Kaname can feel Zero's steady heartbeat drumming under his fingertips, the slow heave and rise of Zero's chest moving against him.

Over and over and over again until the cadence unknowingly soothes him.

The rhythm catches in his thoughts and his fingers idly dance across in sync, trailing random shapes and circles lightly across Zero's back without much thought.

Zero's scent drifts through as well. He can smell the odd mixture of the lingering haze of vanilla contrasted with the crispness of fresh detergent. It permeates the air and interweaves with the radiating warmth in a way that is simultaneously soothing and coaxing.

Nondescript thoughts flutter and drift away, blurring into white noise. It's tempting to fall into this nice sense of ease. He slept for far too long to be soothed back to sleep, but at the same time, Kaname can already feel himself succumbing to the languid atmosphere.

He exhales softly. It's fine. A few more minutes would not hurt anything.

* * *

Zero scrunches his nose as his mind gradually surfaces from the dark haziness of sleep. He exhales slowly, relaxed and satisfied. It feels like forever since he slept this deeply. No dreams, no nightmares. Nothing. Just that blank slate of uninterrupted sleep where nothing registers and matters.

It feels good. This is exactly what he needed after everything.

His eyelids start to flutter open and he blinks, a little dazed. The first thing he registers is the warm points of pressure gliding along his back, tugging at the cotton so that the fabric grazes lightly against his skin. Ticklish almost. It feels nice. Soothing even.

He feels incredibly warm too. Warmth presses against his side, thrumming and steady.

He widens his eyes in alarm as his mind finally realizes that there are some details here that seem off. Because…because whatever he is resting on is definitely not a pillow. Pillows don't feel this firm nor do they have what feels like a heartbeat vibrating through. Nor – as his eyes widen even more – are they adorned in white collared shirts.

He swallows as his mind needlessly offers him a recount of yesterday. That unique, distinguishable musky scent could only belong to one person.

Oh, shit.

With a growing sense of bewilderment and dread, his eyes travel up and Zero cranes his neck up to see that yes, it's Kaname.

The only thing that stops the panicked stream of curses and senseless thoughts threatening to burst out is the faraway look on Kaname's face. It reminds him of how Yuki looks when she's daydreaming in the middle of the day. Kaname looks completely at ease, and it softens his features into an uncharacteristic gentle expression.

It makes Zero pause for a moment before his mind takes over in a flurry of half-formed bewildered thoughts. Awake. Kaname is awake and he…why didn't he _wake him up_?

Zero starts hesitantly, voice still hoarse from sleep. "K-Kaname?"

Kaname visibly jolts in surprise, and Zero feels those slender fingers come to an abrupt stop on his back. They rest, splayed out, and a burning heat warmth seeps through the thin cotton of his shirt. Zero wonders for a moment if Kaname realizes he was doing that before he bites his lips.

Why the hell is Kaname still here? Why didn't he just leave? Kaname clearly already woke up before him and – Zero's mind screeches to a stop.

Wait, how long has Kaname been awake?

Kaname does not notice Zero's growing panic and asks unsurely, "Zero? Are you awake?"

Before he can answer, Zero's mind finally takes in the full details of the position they are both in. He…he is practically hugging Kaname. His cheeks immediately burn, and Zero can feel the heat already crawling up to his ears. His eyes widen. Reflexively, he jerks up, much to Kaname's surprise and pain, as Zero head bumps him in the jaw.

Zero freezes as he hears the murmur of pain. His head immediately swivels back as he sits on his knees now, on the bedcovers just to the right of Kaname. Shit. Did he just - ?

Kaname sits up, a hand rubbing his jaw. The pain is fleeting. To be honest, he is more dumbfounded by what happened in that short expanse of time. "Zero?"

Zero mentally berates himself. Goddamn it, what the hell is he doing?

Kaname looks questioningly at him and Zero feels himself reddening again at Kaname's expression. He says weakly, "Sorry. I didn't mean to."

Kaname's eyes automatically trace the dark rosy pink flushing across Zero's cheeks and up over his ears before flicking back to Zero's wide eyes. He blinks, a little thrown off by the expression, before he says slowly, "It's fine."

Zero's cheeks flush even more and he ducks his head to mumble again, "Sorry."

Kaname gazes at him for another moment before he says reassuringly, "It's fine, Zero. Really."

A hesitant pause drops down into the room. Zero hesitates before he looks up and asks aloud the pressing thought swirling in his head, "Why didn't you wake me up?"

All that time and Kaname did not wake him up or…or move him? His thoughts scatter off once more in an incoherent mess of senseless words.

Kaname lifts an eyebrow and says lightly, a teasing note sneaking into his tone, "Waking you up seems… too dangerous."

Zero flushes again at the reminder and says indignantly, "I said I was sorry! I didn't think we were so close toge- "

Zero stops abruptly when he sees the amusement flickering warmly in Kaname's eyes. He bites his lips and mutters, "I'm being serious. You could have woken me up. I wouldn't have gotten mad like last time."

Kaname glances at him before his expression softens and he admits, "You looked so peaceful that I did not want to."

Zero stills and blinks, stunned at the unexpected answer. Because he looked peaceful? Just for that reason, Kaname didn't move away or push him off?

He surveys Kaname unsurely. Kaname's eyes are soft and honest and Zero feels his cheeks inexplicably flushing again under that warm gaze.

Kaname continues, eyes still focused on Zero and that rosy blush staining those cheeks, "You didn't wake me up either."

Zero swallows and shrugs. "That – that was because it was more troublesome to wake you up." He mumbles, "And besides, I just took blood from you."

Kaname does not answer. Zero glances at him uncertainly, shifting a bit when Kaname gazes back with that same expression and a small smile on his lips.

Kaname says quietly, "Is that so?"

Zero makes a noncommittal sound and averts his eyes. He doesn't want to say that it was because Kaname looked so exhausted and he couldn't find the heart to wake him up. Instead, he tries to change the subject and asks, "What…what time is it right now?"

Kaname thankfully glances over at the clock and says a little surprised, "It's almost eight now."

Wasn't it seven the last time he checked? How lost in thought was he?

Zero swivels his head back with wide eyes. "Eight? At night?" His eyes dart to the clock for confirmation. What? They – or well, he – slept until eight? How exhausted was he? Or both of them even?

He glances at Kaname and asks slowly, "You didn't have any important meetings, did you?"

Kaname pauses at the concern in Zero's voice before he reassures, "I didn't have any." He hesitates and furrows his eyebrows. "Or well, I suppose, I should meet with the chairman sometime today or tomorrow."

Zero gives him a deeply exasperated look and grouses, "What do you mean you suppose? Didn't you say that you had a big meeting this week?"

He scans the room quickly for Kaname's blazer and finds it at the foot of the bed, mashed against the footboard. Damn. That better not be as wrinkled as it looks.

As Zero crawls over the bed covers to get it, he continues distractedly, "Wait, did you say anything before you left? Like an excuse?"

When he hears no answer, Zero furrows his eyebrows and glances back at Kaname who looks uncharacteristically sheepish. Zero stares disbelievingly at him before griping, "Kaname! Do you know long you have been gone?"

Kaname looks slightly chagrined before he sighs and responds dryly, "What was I supposed to say? I'm going to go give blood to my mate? That rather defeats the purpose of keeping this a secret, doesn't it?"

Zero flushes again at the word mate before he retorts, "I said, excuse, didn't I?" He moves back towards Kaname and settles on the back of his heels, the mattress creaking slightly as he does so. Zero shoves the blazer at him and grumbles, "If the whole goddamned Night Class is out there having a search party or something, I'm going to hit you."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow before he reaches out to grab the blazer. He gives it a cursory scan. The blazer is a little rumpled at the sleeve and the collar, but for the most part, it looks decent enough. There are no blood stains on it at the very least, and Kaname is thankful for that saving grace.

He sits up straighter and pulls on the blazer, fingers idly buttoning it. Kaname is about to comment that he trusts Takuma to have things under control in the dorms when he sees Zero scrutinizing the blazer heavily.

He pauses. Does it look that bad?

Before he can question him, Zero suddenly leans over and tugs at the collar to straighten out the edges with an annoyed frown on his face. Eyes still fixated on the blazer, Zero mutters distractedly, "It's your fault that you left it out so carelessly, you know."

Kaname glances back at Zero and feels his lips twitching upwards at the sight of the tousled hair and the petulant frown. He remarks amusedly, "I didn't say anything, Zero."

Predictably, Zero starts in surprise at the sound of his voice. Kaname watches recognition cross Zero's features before pink sweeps across those cheeks again. Before Zero can shift away, Kaname impulsively reaches out and tugs him back.

Zero makes a noise of surprise as he stumbles and falls over him, eyes darting from the hand clasped around his wrist to Kaname. "Kaname? What are you doing?"

Honestly, Kaname doesn't quite know either. But, as his eyes catch that tempting rosiness again, mischievousness sparks up and has him murmuring teasingly, "You blush so easily."

Zero's eyes dart to Kaname in bewilderment before he sits up and tugs at Kaname's grip. He retorts, "I do not! Kaname, you -"

He stops when Kaname tightens his grip on the wrist, pulling him forward, and wraps his other arm around his hip to keep Zero steady. And it's then that Zero finally realizes that he's practically sitting in Kaname's lap, legs on either side of Kaname.

He widens his eyes and this time, he can feel red-hot heat flaring across his cheeks and crawling down to his neck. Zero tugs again, but Kaname does not relax his hold. In the back of his mind, Zero vaguely wonders just why Kaname has this annoying habit of grabbing his wrist. And for god's sakes, why the hell are they in this position again?

He splutters, "What the hell are you doing? Let go! What-"

Zero freezes when Kaname suddenly brushes a thumb across his cheek. His eyes dart to Kaname who marvels at the heat emanating from the bright feverish pink skin at the touch.

Kaname wonders if he should stop teasing, but another glance at Zero's wide-eyed, beet red expression makes him repress another grin. So instead, he deliberately murmurs, amusement still heavy in his voice, "Really? You're a bright red right now."

Zero stares at him, thrown off by the rare playfulness in Kaname's tone. What is…What's going on? Is Kaname…teasing him?

Kaname raises an eyebrow at Zero's speechlessness and Zero recovers himself. He pushes against Kaname's chest and retorts, "That's because I'm – we're - sitting like- this! It's because of you. I don't blush this much normally. " He tugs at his wrist again and adds more exasperated, "Kaname, _let go_."

Kaname apparently does not understand the awkwardness of this situation. Or how Zero thinks if he's going to turn any more red, he might make dying of embarrassment a very and real thing. No, none of those things because Zero sees Kaname's lips twitch into another smile.

. . .He is torn between punching him and being stunned at the unexpected light-heartedness from Kaname. Zero ends up staring at Kaname in disbelief.

This isn't a dream, right? He didn't wake up in some weird dimension or anything? Because none of this makes sense. None.

Kaname says lightly, "Only because of me then?"

Zero widens his eyes at that because the way – the way that Kaname says it makes his cheeks burn impossibly even more. His heartbeat stutters a beat and god, what the hell is wrong with him? No, with Kaname? Or this sudden situation?

He stammers, "That isn't – I didn't say that."

Kaname glances at him and represses another chuckle. It does occur to him that he might be enjoying this a tad too much, but Zero's reactions make the undeniable urge to tease him too irresistible.

He hums and tugs Zero in closer, hand letting go of Zero's wrist to rest idly on the other side of his waist. Zero makes a strangled sound of surprise, and it makes Kaname pause for a moment. He glances at Zero curiously before he continues casually, "I can't find my tie."

Zero swallows at the sudden close proximity and at the way he is very much aware of the hands on his waist, the warm pressure burning through his shirt. It takes a moment for him to register Kaname's words. He furrows his eyebrows and asks confused, "What does that have anything to do with me?"

"It's your room, isn't it?"

Zero stares at him incredulously before he demands, "And? Why do I have to know where your shit is?"

Kaname raises an eyebrow in mock innocence and asks, "You're not going to help me?"

Zero shoves at him with both hands and snaps indignantly, "How can I help you if I'm in your lap?!"

At that, Kaname's hands press in ever so slightly and tugs him even closer, fingers stroking lightly at his sides and Zero immediately flinches. He looks at Kaname wide-eyed before he glares and struggles again. "Stop! You – Kaname! Let go! I'm seriously going to hit you."

Kaname only hums and grabs a flailing wrist again when it comes close to hitting his face. He tightens his grip and comments, "Are you always this violent when you wake up?"

"And do you always have your screws loose when you wake up?" Zero hisses, lilac eyes flashing with irritation and an edge of panic. He struggles again before his mind reminds him again of where he is sitting and that maybe he really shouldn't be moving around so much.

Kaname watches curiously as Zero suddenly flushes again before he looks at Kaname with pleading lilac eyes and says helplessly, "Don't you need to go?"

Kaname pauses, a little thrown back by the expression. In all honesty, he expected at least a punch at this point instead of Zero acting so…so endearing. He hides another growing smile and instead shrugs, answering unconcernedly, "Well, I need my tie, don't I?"

Zero glowers at him and mutters, "I'm going to choke you with it if I find it."

He scans the bedcovers just in case the stupid thing is lying somewhere nearby. Zero narrows his eyes when he sees a sliver of red behind the pillows. He exhales shortly in frustration and leans forward, forgetting just how close he is to Kaname as he fishes for the tie.

Kaname blinks as silver hair suddenly covers his vision and Zero presses against his chest. The sudden light pressure disappears abruptly as Zero pulls back with a scowl and a tie in his hand. Kaname's eyes flick from the red fabric clutched in those fingers and back to Zero.

Zero scowls again and pointedly thrusts his hand forward. "Here's your stupid tie. Now let me go, you bastard."

Kaname bites back another smile and says innocently, "Can you put it on? I'm a little preoccupied here."

Zero blinks before he stares at Kaname in pure disbelief. "You – you – What do you mean you're preoccupied! You stupid asshole! You want me to actually choke you with this thing?"

Kaname does not answer and the gleam in his eyes and half-smirk on his lips immediately sends Zero's eye twitching. He leans forward and roughly loops the blasted thing around Kaname's collar with a scowl. "I can't believe I'm fucking doing this. What the complete fuck? Did you use up all your brain cells in dealing with the stupid council?"

He mutters some few more choice words under his breath about Kaname being an insufferable bastard with a messed up sense of humor as he carelessly flips up the collar to make it easier to tie the tie.

His eyes trace the pale collarbone peeking from under the shirt and Zero is suddenly overcome with the realization of just how close he is to Kaname. He glances up at Kaname, heart skipping a beat, when he sees Kaname gazing back straight at him, mahogany eyes warm with barely repressed merriment.

Zero ducks his head and lightly pushes Kaname's cheek to face the other way, complaining, "Look that way. Don't look at me."

At that, Kaname finally chuckles aloud, chest vibrating with laughter. Zero stills at the rare sound, the notes deep and rich slipping out and filling the air. He glances wide-eyed at Kaname who looks so completely at ease now, an open and affectionate expression softening his features. It's such an unguarded look for Kaname that Zero is awed, completely speechless.

He quickly turns back before Kaname can notice. It...sounds nice. And it's a little difficult to be entirely pissed off at Kaname when he sounds so genuinely amused, happy even.

Zero shakes his head a little at himself. Where the hell are his thoughts going?

He focuses instead on the tie and tugs on it. Deft fingers wrap one of the ends around as he grumbles resignedly, "You're so weird."

Kaname chuckles again. Zero bites his lips. There has to be something wrong with him because the sound vibrates in the air and registers pleasantly to his ears. Kaname murmurs from above him, his thumb absentmindedly caressing Zero's side, "Then so are you."

The mirth brimming in his voice sounds so bright and fond that the infectious humor has Zero's lips twitching upwards involuntarily. Zero quickly fights it down and instead comments wryly, "I don't want to hear that from you of all people."

Kaname makes a noncommittal sound as he watches Zero fastidiously loops one of the ends through to form a knot. Zero's hair falls forwards and hides his expression, but Kaname thinks that just for a moment, he saw a hint of a bemused smile playing on Zero's lips. He smiles softly at that and relaxes back against the headboard to let Zero finish, deciding not to tease him anymore.

At this distance though, Zero's scent drifts up again, cloying and alluring. He can feel the heat that still clings to Zero from sleeping. It swirls through the scent and the soft haze of sweet vanilla and something undeniably Zero, something brisk and fragrant, wraps around his senses again.

Kaname's eyes instinctively turn to Zero's neck. They trace the barest hint of blue peeking from underneath the pale ivory and the etched black lines of the tattoo. His fingers twitch with an inexplicable urge to reach and run his fingers across the soft, vulnerable expanse of skin that Zero does not even realize he is baring.

Soft. Soft and vulnerable. The thoughts dance in and out of his head and circle back to the sudden tempting image again.

Zero does not notice Kaname's sudden heavy gaze and continues to slide the knot up to tighten it. He carefully adjusts it before he is satisfied with it. Although at this point, he's not even sure why the hell he even gives a damn about it or why he didn't just go and strangle Kaname with it.

He inwardly sighs. He has no freaking clue about anything anymore.

Zero furrows his eyebrows as he finally notices Kaname's silence. He leans back and looks up at Kaname questioningly, distantly noting that Kaname's hands have grown lax at his sides now. "I'm done. So get ou - "

Zero jolts when Kaname's hand suddenly reaches up and strokes the side of his neck where the tattoo is. The contact immediately triggers a wave of goosebumps that prickle his skin and inflames all of his nerves that seemingly end there. Zero represses a shiver. His eyes widen in alarm as they dart to Kaname's face.

Kaname looks…distracted, an almost wondering look in his deep eyes. It makes Zero feel strangely antsy. He shifts away and stiffens when Kaname's other hand grips him on the waist to hold him into place. He asks uncertainly, "Kaname? What are you doing?"

Kaname does not answer and instead runs those fingers gently, fascinatedly across again. Zero flinches again as Kaname does it one more time, thumbing over the lines of his tattoo. He feels warmth pooling in the side of his neck, flaring out at the edges. The gentle strokes sends tingles sparking through his skin and Zero shivers again at the feeling.

A sudden thought strikes Zero and has him staring at Kaname warily. This….this isn't the bond, is it? Because isn't this the side where Kaname bit him?

Kaname suddenly leans down, one hand curling around the other side of his neck and the other still on his waist. Zero swallows and represses another shiver at the warm lips brushing against his skin. "K-Kaname?"

Kaname inhales deeply and instinctively noses the soft, vulnerable skin, drinking in the comforting scent that wafts up. He murmurs, "You smell so sweet."

Kaname's voice deepens and the words vibrate against Zero's skin. Zero swallows again and feels his cheeks reddening. He feels his heartbeat quickening under his skin, and wonders with a pulse of apprehension if Kaname is thinking of biting him. He tries to shift away, but Kaname's hand tightens on his waist, fingers clutching tightly on his shirt and the other hand pressing in slightly on his neck.

He pushes against Kaname's chest and protests quickly, "W-wait, Kaname, stop. Do you hear me?"

Kaname makes no sign of hearing and leans further into him. Zero shivers again at the warm air that fans across his skin. When those warm lips brush his skin, sending yet another wave of tingles, and press against his neck, Zero winces in anticipation. But, to his surprise, Kaname doesn't bite him and instead sucks lightly on his neck.

Kaname's eyes trace the skin again and the scent overwhelms him. It smells so innocent. Sweet and vulnerable. Tempting. So tempting.

He feels his instincts take over, the urge to mark, to hold close and never let go. He can hear the heartbeat strumming through that pale, slim throat and it's so easy, so, so easy to imagine the warm vibrant crimson rushing through the blood vessels. The heartbeat picks up though, and Kaname can sense, taste the slight fear now. It undeniably arouses his instincts, but it also lodges in his head with an intuitive sense of wrongness that chafes him.

No. He shouldn't then.

He leans down and sucks the skin lightly, tongue darting to taste the intoxicating scent. He can feel the heat radiating off, the blood welling up as he worries the skin. It would be effortless to pierce it, have his fangs slide into the soft flesh that would yield so easily, and feel the warm blood course down in bright rivulets.

But no, this is his mate. He can sense the apprehension, and even in this haze, he intuitively recognizes that that is important to remember, to recognize. He should not –cannot- hurt his mate.

Zero makes a choked noise at the soft and insistent touch tugging and grazing his skin, the wet warmness on his neck. He quickly shoves at Kaname again. "Stop it! What are you doi- Nngh!"

His cheeks flush again both at the way Kaname keeps mouthing at his skin and at the sound of his own moan slipping out. It sounds embarrassingly loud to his ears and emphasizes just what kind of compromising situation they are in right now.

Zero stares down at the dark locks with wide eyes. Is Kaname out of it or something?

He flinches when Kaname does it again, lips teasing at the skin and sucking it. His neck flushes again and between his inflamed cheeks and the burning heat on his neck, Zero thinks he might just dissipate in the white hot flames.

God, it feels like his nerves are all on fire, golden electricity and fire carving through his skin, shooting pulses of static through his blood. Zero swallows and bites back another moan. He tries to push Kaname away again, but those warm lips suddenly move across his throat, leaving a trail of sporadic kisses that make his face redden and sends sharp tingles rocketing through. They add to the increasing pleasure that builds and buzzes through his skin, and Zero drops the hand to press it against his mouth and stifle the moans.

Fuck. He needs to stop, stop Kaname. He knows that, he does, but it's so hard when this feels exactly like when Kaname touched his neck that first time. All of his senses focus on Kaname and he is painfully aware of everything. Every touch, every graze against his skin only heightens the keen edge that he feels. Kaname does not stop, lost in whatever daze he is in, and the sensation only swells and crackles through Zero, searing and electrifying.

It threatens on the brink of unbearable. Zero's thoughts fragment in the swirling heat. His fingers twitch restlessly. They tighten on Kaname's collar, and Zero doesn't know if he is trying to push Kaname away anymore or if he is just holding onto something to ground him.

When Kaname sucks hard at a particularly sensitive spot, a bolt of pleasure jars through Zero and a ragged whimper tears out of his throat. The sound thrills though Kaname, raking goosebumps across his back in its wake. He blinks, startled. Kaname pulls back from Zero's neck, and feels the wave of bewilderment and panic crash over him as his mind finally catches on what he has been doing.

What…what is he doing?

Kaname widens his eyes as his eyes quickly sweep over Zero's trembling form. He hears the hitched breathing, the thundering heartbeat that drums as loudly as his own is starting to sound. Kaname catches his breath as he sees the color high on Zero's cheeks, the way those wide eyes gaze back at him, dazed and stricken in that impossibly deep amethyst hue.

His gaze slides down to Zero's neck. He swallows at the red love-bites scattered across, all the more glaring by the paleness of Zero's skin.

He swallows again and manages to strangle out, "Did – did I do that?"

Zero can only stare back at Kaname, taking in the wide dark eyes gleaming a redder shade than usual and the shock etched plainly on Kaname's features. He bites his lips, still feeling the buzz tinging throughout his neck. Kaname didn't realize what he was doing?

Kaname widens his eyes even more at Zero's speechlessness and he glances once more at Zero's neck. What – what came over him?

Unthinkingly, he reaches out and brushes an especially red patch of skin gingerly, utterly shocked and incredulous at himself.

Zero immediately flinches at the aching tingle that shreds through him, and lets out another half whimper. He reddens once more at the sound and slaps his hand over his mouth again.

Kaname immediately stills at the sound and withdraws his hand, eyes darting to Zero's face. The mortified expression brings a flush of heat to his own cheeks, and he says quickly, "I'm sorry. I didn't – I wasn't thinking." His eyes dart back to Zero's neck and Kaname continues helplessly, "Your scent was – was just so overwhelming. I couldn't control myself. I acted without … without thinking."

Instincts, he let his instincts take over him completely, Kaname realizes with a start. He swallows. He usually has perfect control over himself, and yet…yet how could he act so recklessly? So impulsively?

It felt so _natural._ He didn't even realize the moment that he lost control of himself. God, what if he didn't stop then? What if - ?

His eyes snap to Zero in concern. He notes that Zero is still in his lap, and chastises himself for teasing Zero too far. That was not a smart decision, not with them being bonded like this. Kaname quickly straightens and gently shifts Zero aside, who starts a little at the sudden movement and moves off to sit to the side. Sliding off the bed, he stands up and looks urgently at Zero, eyes scanning him carefully. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Zero pulls his legs in closer to him and hugs his knees as he tries to recover himself, thoughts racing a thousand miles per second, heartbeat echoing loudly in his ears. Oh god, did they just - ? _What happened?_

Crap. Crapcrap. _Crap._

Kaname repeats his question, eyes roving over Zero hurriedly, "Zero? Are you alright? Did I hurt you? You need to tell me. Zero?"

Zero finally lifts his head and blinks at the barrage of questions. He takes in Kaname's worried expression, the panicked edge in his tone. Zero hesitates before he says haltingly, "No. You…didn't hurt me."

Kaname frowns at the slightly shaky tone, but there is no apprehension, no fear in Zero's eyes. God, if he – if he did hurt Zero, he wouldn't have forgiven himself. He inwardly frowns in frustration and disbelief. How? How could he have lost control so easily?

Is this because of the bond? His mind flashes back to the feelings of pure instinct, the deep-set urges taking over. It feels so _instinctual_ that he does not know what to think of it. If it's another effect of the bond or – or if it's due to his own nature as a pureblood.

Still half-stunned at what happened, Zero blankly watches Kaname relax slightly at his answer before Kaname drags a hand across his face and murmurs another apology, eyes still bewildered and troubled.

Hell, even Zero doesn't know what to make of it, if it's some weird side effect of the bond or if this would be normal behavior for vampires or if - if. . .

He doesn't _ge_ t it.

But, the concern in Kaname's voice is genuine and there is an edge of self-recrimination in Kaname's demeanor that Zero thinks is unwarranted. Zero does not what to say to reassure him though. Not when for that brief moment, he really did think Kaname would bite him. Nor can he say that it…it felt…the opposite of painful.

Zero inwardly cringes. God, he definitely can't say that, not when hot embarrassment floods him just at the mere thought of it.

Kaname asks again, "Are you alright, Zero?"

Zero glances back at him, but no words come to his tongue. Fuck, it's so odd and awkward to look at Kaname while remembering what just happened, his mind still fumbling to come to terms with any of this. Instead, he swallows and nods soundlessly.

Concern flickers in Kaname's eyes again, and Zero inwardly grimaces at himself for not giving a more solid answer. Kaname looks at him searchingly and says quietly, "I think I should go. Is that alright?"

Zero blinks and looks back uncertainly. He shrugs and manages to say, "I'm fine, Kaname. You – you should go." He looks away and adds, "It's already late."

Kaname wavers for a moment before he nods wordlessly and walks out, although not without glancing uncertainly back at Zero.

Zero waits until the door closes before he slumps down and buries his face in his arms. His cheeks darken again as his mind sadistically flips through the memories again.

He can still feel it. The imprint of those lips pressing and kissing his neck lingers over his skin in a very tangible reminder. Zero swallows and runs a finger carefully across his neck, and flinches at the sudden flush of heat, the aching tingles that race through.

Red hot mortification burns through him once more when he remembers his reactions, the sounds that he let out. Damn it. What the hell is wrong with him?

And Kaname's words, the way he didn't wake Zero up, the odd teasing side that Zero didn't know he had…the images stream through his head and Zero immediately shoves those thoughts away. Pointedly ignoring the buzzing sensation in his neck, Zero closes his eyes and buries his head again into his arms with a muffled curse.

He doesn't know anything anymore.

Goddamn it.

* * *

Kaname swallows as he steps out into the cool night air that feels ice cold to his burning skin. He lifts his fingers and flexes them bewilderedly; he remembers the warmth, the touch and feel of that soft skin, the heartbeat drumming through….He…He _wanted_.

Bond, instincts, whatever it is, Kaname remembers feeling that he just…simply wanted to. Wanted to pull Zero in close and touch, _feel_.

Something curls in satisfaction deep inside when his mind flashes back to the memory of how close they were together, at those bright red marks that he unknowingly left on Zero.

Zero's expression flits through his head once more: those wide vivid eyes, the flushed cheeks, that _sound_ he let out.

Kaname stops dead in his tracks, eyes widening, and covers his face with his hand in belated realization. Oh god, what did he just _do_? What on earth is he _thinking_?

* * *

Yuki hums as she strolls through the street, enjoying the warm sunshine kissing her skin. She squints and peers up. It is unexpectedly windy today, and she readjusts the flapping envelopes under her arm as a strong cool breeze streaks by and ruffles her hair. She quickly tucks the stray strands behind her ear and continues around the corner.

The sky is still dotted with enormous dark grey fluffy clouds. The sun shines through a bit more today though, but Yuki thinks that the big rainstorm that everyone has been talking about might come soon.

She looks down at the manila envelopes curiously. Probably more paperwork by the bulky feel and weight of them.

Yuki had volunteered to bring them to the post office when she stopped by the chairman's office earlier today and noticed them lying on the desk.

She smiles and shakes her head in amusement at the memory of the chairman's usual goofy antics. Honestly.

Yuki sighs. Zero is probably going to yell at her for going into town alone, but she is, at the very least, capable of going to the post office without any incidents. Her expression turns sheepish as she gives a sidelong gaze at the manila envelopes under her arm, eyes lingering on the smaller, purple envelope.

Or, well, not just the post office.

She sort of promised Hayami that she would deliver the letter to the hospital.

It isn't hard to guess what kind of relationship Hayami has with Ishihara, and Yuki can only imagine what Hayami is going through right now, what with her family advising her to withdraw from school and Ishihara still in the hospital.

She hopes things will go well for these two. It isn't fair that the incident has caused them so much trouble and pain.

Yuki bites her lips. She hears that Ishihara's family has cut off any access to outsiders and have the hospital room carefully regulated. Yuki suspects that it's probably due to Ishihara being from a prominent political family and because…of the hunters' intervention as well.

She frowns slightly. Even she is starting to be wary of the recent change of behavior from the hunters. Something just does not sit right with her.

She exhales and steels herself. If this letter can bring Hayami, no, the both of them, some peace of mind, then Yuki will just have to sneak in if she has to. And even if she can't manage to deliver the letter, any news of Ishihara's condition will be just as reassuring.

"Oh!" Yuki yelps as she bumps into someone, the envelopes fluttering to the pavement with the impact. "Excuse me. I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going."

She quickly leans down to gather the scattered envelopes, fingers scrambling to shuffle the strewn papers back into one of the manila envelopes. She mentally groans. If Zero was here, he probably would have looked at her exasperatedly and commented on her never ending clumsiness.

Yuki flips through the envelopes in her hand. One, two, three, four, five. Good. That's all of – Oh no, where is Hayami's letter?

Yuki stills and scans the ground hurriedly. Oh no. Oh no. Did she lose it?

"Are you looking for this?" A hand enters her line of vision and holds out the purple envelope.

Yuki's lips break out in a relieved smile and she straightens to thank the stranger she bumped into. "Yes! Thank you so…much…"

Her voice trails off unsurely as her eyes take in the features. Curly red-brown hair stopping just before the man's shoulders and different colored eyes, one a mahogany red and the other an icy blue. The colors pierce through her and Yuki is suddenly gripped with a sudden feeling of wariness and unease. The sensation streams though her like dark ink, dripping coldly over her skin and nerves.

She distantly notes the sudden agitated thrum of Artemis on her thigh. Vampire?

The man raises an eyebrow at her pause and dangles the letter pointedly between his fingers. Yuki tenses slightly and hesitantly reaches out for the letter. As soon as her fingers touch the paper, she flexes them to pull the envelope away only to stop when the man suddenly tightens his grip.

She glances up in alarm and stills when his eyes stare straight at her. The shrewd gaze runs over her in curiosity and the man suddenly steps closer. Yuki stiffens.

"Have I met you somewhere?" The man intones in a deep voice. "You look familiar."

Yuki pauses before she answers politely, "I don't think we have before. You must be confusing me with the wrong person?"

His eyes rove across her features once more before the serious expression darkening his eyes suddenly lifts and the man hums, "Is that so? Perhaps I am." His eyes slide back to her, and his lips curl in a lazy smirk. "It is odd how much you resemble someone I know."

He hands her the envelope and adds idly, "Or used to know, I suppose."

Yuki blinks for a moment before she carefully accepts the letter and murmurs a word of gratitude.

He tilts his head slightly, eyes flicking over her black uniform. "A student of Cross Academy? What a coincidence. I have a son and a…nephew attending there." With the same smirk playing on his lips, he remarks, "It's a small world, isn't it?"

Yuki hesitates, unsure where this conversation is heading, and nods in agreement. "It…is."

She wonders if she should question him. It's strange to see a vampire walk around town this early in the day, but this…this man makes her feel wary.

Another strong wind races by, rustling through her hair once more as Yuki tightens her grip on the envelopes. A sudden voice murmurs close to her ear, "Give my regards to them, won't you?"

She stills at the sudden proximity and fleetingly registers the man's speed with alarm. She quickly steps back and whips her head to look at him, but the man is already walking ahead, his long black coat flaring out behind him in the blowing wind. Yuki widens her eyes and calls out hesitatingly, "But you haven't mentioned their names to me yet."

He waves behind him without turning back, and says dismissively, "I'll visit them soon enough. So until then, it will be a surprise, hmm?"

Yuki stares after him with wide eyes. There is something unnerving about that man and his eyes...The image of those heterochromatic eyes lingers in her mind and fills her with an inexplicable sense of apprehension and fear.

She breathes in deeply before shaking her head. The envelopes. What is she doing? She needs to deliver these.

Yuki hurries to a crosswalk. As she waits for the signal to walk though, she can't help but think about that man again. Those eyes…Those eyes remind her of staring in the eyes of a wolf. Wild and dangerous.

What scares Yuki the most is those eyes feel familiar, like…like she could swear that she can remember them from somewhere. But…that can't be right.

* * *

Rido frowns slightly as he strides down the street and turns the corner again. That scent…there is no doubt about it. _Nostalgic_.

His jaw clenches. He dislikes it. Dislikes how that scent smells so much like _her_. Dislikes how it throws him off and makes him twitch restlessly. How it makes him pause enough to wonder.

It taunts him, mocking and alluring as an ever present reminder that he still is not done with the past. That there are still debts that he still has not collected yet, blood yet to be spilt to satisfy the demons that still haunt his bones and howl for the unattainable.

It does not matter that the two are not the same. It does not because the past is a wound that never healed. It festers deep inside him, spewing noxious fumes and dripping poisonous venom. Acidic purple in his veins, broken shards of glass in his head, and crimson on his hands.

This world does not interest him. It has nothing to offer to him. Not when the only business he has left is with ghosts.

Rido clenches his fist, eyes burning wildly. He always thinks that it is amusing when people scream in fear at him, eyes wide, begging for mercy, asking how he could be so cruel when fate is the sadistic one of them all.

The one thing that he wants is the one thing that fate and this world cannot give him. It's _unacceptable._

He played this game for so many years now, watched the puppets dance from under his fingertips, the pawns tumble down from the board. No matter how many matches he wins, no matter how satisfyingly things are meeting his expectations, he still burns with this unquenchable thirst.

He will never be satisfied.

Which is fine.

He will just have to take everything. Everything this pitiful world has to offer him and more. Conquer it, see it go up in flames, drench it in blood.

Vindictively subject it to the same chaotic absurdity that keeps unraveling inside of him, plaguing him for as long as he could remember.

And as for the girl… she has not awakened yet. He can decide whether or not he wants to kill her until then. Everything is still going according to plan.

Rido pauses. Perhaps he really should pay a visit to the school sooner than he intended.

But, as his ears catch the sound of impending footsteps, his smirk returns. Rido slides his hands in his pockets and saunters into an alley.

That decision can wait. He has a rabbit he needs to catch first.

* * *

Sayori watches the both of them for a moment before she says curiously, "What's with you two lately? I know it's Monday, but you guys seem so unfocused."

Neither of them answers and she sighs before she reaches over and claps her hand right next to Yuki's ear. Yuki immediately flinches and blinks, "Wha? Yori-chan?"

Sayori stares at her before she shakes her head and asks, "What's with you today?" Her eyes flick over to Zero who has a distracted expression and adds, "With the both of you really?"

Yuki turns and glances across the table at Zero. He's been rereading that pamphlet over and over again for their literature class, and the reading is not that…interesting or difficult, to be honest. Yuki raises an eyebrow. Actually, isn't that the reading for last week?

Yori nudges her again in the arm and continues, "Yuki? Is anything wrong?" She pauses and thinks for a moment. "Did anything happen when you went to town over the weekend?"

Zero immediately starts at that and furrows his eyebrows, "What? You went to town? By yourself?"

At Yuki's sheepish expression, Zero frowns and rebukes harshly, "How many times have I told you not to do that?"

Yuki protests, "I was just going to the post office! You don't need to - "

"Will the table by the third window please quiet down?"

Yuki immediately blushes at the sudden gazes directed at them, and she murmurs a quick apology to the librarian. Zero looks at her exasperated and demands, making sure to keep his voice low, "Nothing happened, did it?"

Yuki's mind immediately darts back to the man she bumped into, but if she told Zero that, he would lecture her again and be needlessly worried. It's fine. It was a just chance encounter. She mentally frowns. She doesn't know why she feels so troubled by it.

Yuki shakes her head and tries to smile reassuringly. "Nothing happened! I just went to the post office…and went back."

Sayori gives her a sidelong glance, already catching the telltale sign of her lying, but decides not to question it. She can ask Yuki about it later. Yuki probably doesn't want Zero to yell at her again.

Zero also is unconvinced because he narrows his eyes in suspicion and notes disapprovingly, "You're fidgeting. Fess up. What happened?"

Yuki decides on a half-truth and says slowly, "I…I may have snuck into the hospital."

"…What?" Zero looks at her incredulously, " _Why_?"

Yuki smiles sheepishly and answers, "I had to deliver the letter."

Zero sighs, already expecting to be yelling at Yuki at the end of this. He asks tiredly, "What letter?"

* * *

Zero bites his lips and rubs his neck absentmindedly. Weird. His neck has been tingling all day since Tuesday.

At first, there had only been slight twinges here and there, appearing randomly throughout the day and fading just as quickly. He had resolutely ignored it, chalking it up to – to –

His cheeks burn at the memory again. Kaname's lips, voice caressing his skin and…Shit. What the hell is he thinking again?

Zero quickly shoves the thoughts away and fights down the wave of hot embarrassment. Goddamnit.

He swallows and runs his fingers agitatedly through his hair again. He mentally groans. Why? Why does he keep thinking of this?

It makes his thoughts flail around again. He does not know what to make of it.

Even if…even if what Kaname had not lost control like that, there are still numerous other details that lodges in his head as an insistent reminder.

Like how Kaname did not wake him up, how he…saw Kaname laughing for the first time like that. It fills him with a sense of wonder and curiosity to see that side of Kaname. And when he thinks of the unexpected fondness in Kaname's gaze, his chest tightens with a warm feeling curling under his skin.

It…feels nice to see those expressions from Kaname. It would not be so bad to see them again.

Zero immediately stops abruptly in his tracks, almost colliding into another student who mutters a warning before walking past him. He widens his eyes. Hold a second, what? What did he just think?

Oh, god. What the hell is wrong with him? Why is his own mind against him?

He bites his lips before cussing under his breath and stalking off to patrol again, much to the surprise of the students around him. Denial, denial, denial. He needs to go practice self-denial, do something to empty his head.

God, Kaname is such a freaking idiot. Why the hell did he go and do that?

He cusses again and vindictively hopes that Kaname feels at least two thirds of his stress right now because it definitely is his fault. That bastard.

* * *

Kaname suddenly pauses as his neck suddenly tingles sharply again. He furrows his eyebrows and rubs his neck idly. Odd. And just like that, the sudden sensation quickly fades away.

It does not…hurt exactly but nor does it feel pleasurable. His instincts are not bristling in alert, so the tingle does not feel ominous or warning. It just…is distracting.

The tingling feeling keeps appearing and subsiding randomly throughout the day. Kaname frowns. Is there anything wrong? Is the bond being agitated or something of the like?

That does not make any sense. Zero is not even here.

"Kaname? Is something wrong?"

Kaname blinks and realizes that he stopped in the middle of the lobby in the hotel. He nods and walks briskly towards Takuma, who looks at him questioningly by the reception desk. Takuma observes him again and asks, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine. I was just…lost in thought." Takuma furrows his eyebrows, but before he can ask, Kaname nods towards the desk, "Did you sign us in?"

Takuma nods. "Yes. Seiren is trying to find where they sent our luggage. It seems there was a mishap of sorts by the entrance."

Kaname raises an eyebrow. "I see. Let us head into our rooms first."

Takuma glances at the long line of people stretched before the reception desk, all with various expressions of disgruntlement as they complain to the staff members about their missing luggage. He nods and agrees, "That's a good idea."

* * *

Takenaka lifts aside the curtain, the sharp golden blades of sunlight slanting into the darkened office. He slowly turns the tumbler and watches the glass gleam, casting white gold ripples of light on the smooth oaken desk. The amber fluid swirls gently inside and glimmers.

Like holding a jewel in his hand, Takenaka distantly notes. It reminds him of the city sprawled outside the window. A multifaceted mirror whose blinding shine perfectly conceals the toxic darkness from within.

A sharp knock on the door rings out, followed immediately by a curt "President."

He neatly turns back around in the chair, tumbler still in his hand. "Come in, Ryou."

The door swings open, and Ryou strides in, grey-blue eyes cold and impassive. Takenaka's eyes travel behind him towards the two guards with him, specifically towards the handcuffed man with a long white lab coat and disheveled white gray hair standing in between them.

Ryou glances at them before dismissing them brusquely. The two guards nod and march straight out without further question.

They picked a rather promising bunch of new recruits, it seems.

The door clicks shut again, and Takenaka gestures calmly to the armchair in front of him.

The man's eyes rove the room warily before Ryou clears his throat and pointedly pulls the armchair out, the legs scratching against the dark blue carpet. His sharp dark brown eyes flick to Takenaka before he comes and settles down reluctantly in the chair with a clink of metal.

Takenaka looks to Ryou and says tersely, "I would like to hear what he has to say, Ryou."

Ryou glances at him before he reaches out and tugs the cloth down from the man's mouth to let him speak. The man tenses and narrows his eyes at Ryou, who deliberately stands next to him in warning, before he directs the dark glower towards Takenaka.

His expression tightens and he says acidly, voice roughened and hoarse. "I am not cooperating, so don't waste your time and mine. Kill me already." He shakes the handcuffs, and they jangle to emphasize his point. "I have had enough of your _hospitality_."

Ryou's gaze slides to him, eyes narrowing in disapproval. Takenaka only remarks calmly, "Ogata-san, is there such a need to be so harsh? You forced my hand." He gestures to the cuffs and continues, "You are a valued asset to this association. It does not make me happy to have to treat you like this."

Ogata narrows his eyes and answers sharply, "An asset? Don't you mean tool?" He frowns heavily and continues in a scathing voice, "There is nothing I haven't seen before. I have been in this association for far longer than you have and I have more years than you do, Takenaka- _kun_. Your tactics do not scare me. I am not bluffing when I say it will be over my dead body that you will have any help from me."

Takenaka remarks wryly, "I doubt you would be very helpful dead, Ogata-san." He leans back in the leather chair and continues, "But, I suppose life and death does not matter to someone like you who has lived this long anymore."

Takenaka rotates the tumbler idly in his hand and asks with a note of curiosity in his deep voice, "What exactly has you so against my plan?"

Ogata raises a bushy gray eyebrow before he says scornfully, "What do you mean what? I have no interest in participating in something so asinine and self-destructive. Why do you think we renew that treaty with the vampires over and over again?" His eyes narrow and he rebukes condescendingly, "It is because we cannot obliterate the other side without inviting that same annihilation on us. Have you forgotten what happened in the war?"

At that, Takenaka narrows his eyes, slate grey eyes gleaming dangerously. He sets down the glass tumbler with a sharp clink, and the sound makes Ogata tense slightly. Voice crisp and edged with anger, Takenaka asserts coolly, "I assure you, I have not."

His sharp gaze slides to Ogata, features darkening, as he asks, voice harsh and condemning, "Have you? Have you forgotten the casualties, the deaths that have accumulated over the years, the decades, the centuries?"

He narrows his eyes, fingers clenching in a tight fist on the armchair. "The comrades we have lost? The families that were single-handedly destroyed?"

Cumbersome fools like Ogata have no idea what the blood spilt means. The burdens they all have to carry. Takenaka's jaw clenches and that old-age fury, the hatred burns through his veins, chars his thoughts, and has him seeing red. He stands up and strides towards Ogata in two long steps, hand striking out to grab him by the collar. Ogata widens his eyes briefly before defiantly glaring at him.

Takenaka stares straight at Ogata and demands in a low voice, "Or how about the number of people who are still dying, manipulated, or worse by those bloodsuckers who only wear human faces and are nothing close to human inside?"

Ogata tenses at the rage smoldering in Takenaka's eyes, the flashing unyielding grey irises reminding of the gleam of a guillotine blade. This man…is dangerous.

He stares flatly at Takenaka though and retorts, "Is this revenge then? You are willing to sacrifice this many people to what? The dead cannot speak. They will never come back. You think what you are doing will make them happy? They could care less, Takenaka-san. The dead is just that. They have long left this world. "

Takenaka's expression flattens at that and he roughly lets go of Ogata in pure disdain. He remarks coldly, "I dislike your generation the most, Ogata-san. You all are so complacent with conserving this status quo that is nothing than an illusion." His forehead creases and he continues harshly, "An excuse for cowards."

Takenaka gestures out the window, his voice sharp and authoritative. "Look out there. This city with all of these people out there, oblivious and naïve. Shopping for the most mundane things all the while being so secure in their bubbles of perceived wealth and social status. This is your ideal society?"

His eyes flash ominously and his voice darkens, "Pathetic. We cannot even walk out there unarmed. We have to have a curfew at night. All business transactions in our society are run by a company that they own. All of our so called leaders of the country are all in their pockets."

He narrows his eyes, tone turning derisive, "Our own president was working with that head of the senate."

Ogata frowns and argues hotly, "You are going to place civilians who know nothing about vampires, hunters, any of this, in the crossfire! By the time you reach your goal, there will be no one left for you to protect!"

Takenaka leans against the desk and lifts an eyebrow. He responds coolly, "Then, we rebuild. Those who trade their freedom for temporary safety deserve neither and will lose both. Have you heard that expression, Ogata-san?"

His eyes steel over and Takenaka continues, voice firm and resolute, "Every war requires sacrifices. We did not win the last one because we did not have the _courage_ , the _will_ to make those sacrifices. Nothing will change unless we go out there and we place everything we have on the line."

Ogata stares at him disbelievingly and mutters, "You are insane. You all are."

Ryou cuts in then, eyes regarding Ogata coldly. "Are you one to lecture us? You whose own colleagues view you as a mad genius? The association has kept you because your research is valuable, but can you honestly tell me that all of your experiments, your work, can be considered ethical? That they fit in between the cookie cutter lines of black and white?"

Ogata stills at that and frowns.

Takenaka gazes at him and his voice hardens, "You will cooperate. You are still of use to us, and you will come to understand my objectives. So, tell me. What have you done with the drug the lab has been testing on the Level E's and all of its data?"

Ogata furrows his eyebrows and protests, "I told you to withdraw from that project! It makes them degenerate at a rate too volatile for us to control. Yes, they become less coordinated and even more mentally incapacitated. But their bloodthirst increases to dangerous levels. It defeats the entire purpose of the drug."

Takenaka merely frowns and says displeased, "I will not repeat myself. Where is the data?"

Ogata gapes at him, stunned at his insistence, before realization floods his features. He says breathlessly, "You – you do not care. You want to use it like that." His eyes widen and he yells, voice rising with anger and incredulity. "You lunatic! You are going to kill all of us! You-"

Crash!

Ogata bites back a cry of pain as the white hot strips of pain brand the left side of his face. He can feel the warm liquid trickling down his cheek, and he can't tell it it's his own blood or the whiskey. Some of the glass shards scratch against his skin, caught in between the ridges of the wrinkles on his face. The ones in his hair fall off and rain soundlessly down into the carpet. Part of the cracked tumbler rolls over before it comes to a stop next to his left foot.

He swallows, eyes flicking back to Takenaka.

Dangerous indeed.

Takenaka merely wipes his hand with a handkerchief and continues on, unperturbed by his sudden show of violence. "Ogata-san, you are being needlessly difficult. We have men searching for your missing assistant." His eyes flick to Ogata and he raises an eyebrow, "I assume you gave her the formulas, the data? It is only a matter of time until we find her."

Before Ogata can respond angrily, Ryou speaks up and announces carefully, "I apologize, president, but Etsuko-san was just found dead."

Takenaka looks surprised before he frowns and demands, "Why haven't you reported it to me?"

Ryou bows his head shortly and explains, "I have only been notified recently. I apologize."

Ogata swivels his head to narrow his eyes and bellows angrily, "What? What did you idiots do?!"

Ryou glances at Ogata before he answers curtly, "It was not us. She was found drained of blood in an alley."

Takenaka pauses and questions, "A vampire?"

"Yes…And there was a message scrawled in her blood on the wall." Ryou looks meaningfully at Takenaka as he continues, "It says: Give my regards to my masked savior."

Takenaka furrows his eyebrows before realization dawns his eyes. " _He_ has it."

Ryou nods. "What should we do?"

Ogata's eyes flick from Ryou to Takenaka. He scowls and demands, "Who has it? What the hell are you two bastards planning?"

Takenaka looks at Ryou and nods slightly to Ogata. Ryou immediately holds him down and calls for the two hunters from before to come in. Ogata thrashes against Ryou and grits out, "Let go of me! You – Mmmph!"

Ryou finishes retying the gag and orders, "Take him back to the holding cell."

They nod and forcibly move Ogata, who struggles and lets out muffled curses, out the door. Ryou waits until the door closes and asks quietly, "Are you sure you want to keep him? We have nothing to hold over him. He is not the type who can be easily threatened."

Takenaka sighs and settles back into his chair. "We will give him a few days to calm down. He is one of the most knowledgeable hunters in the research field. We need him, and there have not been enough developments on that side project of ours."

Ryou blinks and asks warily, "You want to tell him about it? What if he retaliates and tells some of the hunters who we haven't convinced yet?"

"I was wary that he might still be loyal to the former board members and did not retire only to keep tabs on the research division and us, but as you can see, judging by how much he disagreed with us, if he was still in touch with his colleagues, news of the drug would have already leaked. That being said, I think after this incident, coupled with the unfortunate death of his assistant, Ogata has understood that retaliation is not the wisest idea."

Takenaka leans back in the chair and continues thoughtfully, "It surprised me a bit that he was so adamant in not helping us, but as you know from his history, his ethical beliefs have never been that strong. If we tell him about the project, I will guarantee you that his interest as a researcher will overwhelm any doubts he has. He is that kind of man."

Takenaka flips through the folder on his desk and continues, "People like thinking that they have these firm ideologies they will always stand by, that they are the person they want to believe they are. If you give someone an ultimatum, you'll find that they will change their minds easily if it benefits them. And we humans are nothing if not adaptable."

He sighs and adds, "Place Ogata under house arrest to start with. If he still is not compliant with our demands, we will simply force him to continue his research under our supervision."

Ryou looks at him for another moment before he nods in agreement. He frowns. "And the data? Should we get it back?"

Takenaka smiles wryly and comments, "That would be a waste of manpower, and we do not need any more unnecessary casualties. We will see what Kuran does with it."

Ryou furrows his eyebrows in concern. "President? Isn't that too risky?"

Takenaka taps his fingers impatiently on the desk and explains, "The new curfew, the interrogations have been creating tension between the two sides. Not to mention our more aggressive approach in missions and in dealing with level E's."

He frowns and his voice is edged with sharp irritation, "That is not enough to go to war, Ryou. And no matter what, we cannot be the one who starts it. Publically, that is. Having a righteous cause is advantageous." His eyes flick to the door. "There are still many who do not share our objectives."

"I understand." Ryou pauses before he says carefully, "Considering that this week is when the Vampire Senate is meeting though, wouldn't this be the best time for someone to… pull the trigger?

Takenaka's eyes darken and his voice turns grave. "It is. And all the better if Kuran is the one to do it and not us. That is why we resurrected him, after all." His jaw clenches, fingers tapping again on the desk, and he continues lowly, "We will have to gamble on him. If he can time it right, it will be in our favor."

"I understand. Should I still tighten patrols in case though?"

"Do. "

* * *

Rido's eyes glaze over in disinterest as they flick over the papers on the desk in neatly stapled and labeled folders. How utterly tedious.

He carelessly leans back in the leather chair and presses his cheek against an open palm. His eyes flick to the door expectantly, already sensing the sharp click clack of high heels echoing in the near distance.

There is a sudden pause right before the door. Rido's lips twitch upwards when he notices the heartbeat accelerating slightly. No doubt sensing his presence.

The doorknob slowly turns and the door opens. It never amuses him to see how people continue on even in the face of danger. Dutifully venturing into the tiger's den, all for the twisted, convoluted mess that is vampire social etiquette.

He represses an amused chuckle, eyes flicking over a young woman with long auburn curls half pinned back and a formfitting dark green dress.

She tenses slightly before stepping in.

Rido watches amusedly as she lifts her head to gaze at him, hazel eyes immediately widening in recognition and surprise. "K-Kuran-sama?"

He lifts an eyebrow and remarks offhandedly, "Why the stunned look? I didn't think I needed an appointment."

She quickly recomposes herself and apologizes with a respectful bow, "Forgive my rudeness. I was merely caught off guard. No appointment is needed for such an esteemed individual as yourself." With an elegant gesture towards her desk, the woman continues more smoothly, "Please make yourself comfortable. I will go inform Ichijo-san of your arrival."

She briskly turns around, intending to open the door and step out again, when all of her limbs jerk back suddenly, muscles taut and frozen into place. Rido sees her flinch, but she only asks sedately, "Is something not to your liking, Kuran-sama?"

Rido sighs and says condescendingly, "If I wanted to see Ichijo, why would I stop by his company? Is this not your office?"

"Of course, I apologize. Then, how may I be of assistance to you?"

Rido's lips curve into a smirk before he commands, "Come."

The woman's body stiffly turns and strides towards him in stilted steps, black high heels thudding unevenly against the deep violet carpet. He lets her stop just before the desk before releasing his hold. She immediately exhales shakily before she gazes back at him, calmly waiting for his answer.

He lets out a deep chuckle and leans forward, fingers interlocking together and bright eyes glittering in amusement. "You seem surprisingly capable. Then again, I suppose, Ichijo would settle for someone no less to run the company in his stead while he handles the senate."

Her lips curve in a small smile and she bows her head in acknowledgement. "You are too kind."

"Kind is not a word many would associate with me," Rido notes before carelessly sliding a wrinkled folder across the desk to her. "Forgive the bloodstains on it." He pauses, mismatched eyes flashing, as his lips stretch in a cruel grin, "The messenger was a tad too messy in delivering it."

The woman merely nods her head and carefully picks the folder up with neatly filed, violet fingernails. She opens it, shrewd hazel eyes quickly skimming the contents in an expression of increasing interest. She observes curiously, "This data…It contains the results accumulated from several trials as well as various chemical formulas for a drug I have never seen before."

Rido raises an eyebrow and drawls, intrigued and pleased. "Oh? You already know what it is. And here I thought you were just doing secretarial work at best."

She blushes slightly, which Rido does not fail to notice, before asking, "Is this drug of interest to you, Kuran-sama? I have to add that this drug has… particularly dangerous side effects for vampires."

Rido waves a hand dismissively. "I already know about the side effects. I want this produced."

She nods and answers without hesitation, "Of course. How much would you like?"

Rido remarks loftily, "You are not going to ask me what I want to do with it?"

"It is not my place to pry into your private matters."

Rido smirks, eyes gazing straight at her, "I want it to be mass produced and distributed inside the blood tablets."

Startled, she widens her eyes and ventures hesitantly, "Inside? Are you saying to incorporate the drug in the blood tablets?"

He lifts an eyebrow, a challenging gleam in his eyes, as he asserts, "Yes. Is there a problem?"

She pauses, eyes flicking unsurely towards him, before she asks slowly, "I...Please excuse my insolence, but does Ichijo-san know about this?"

Rido taps a finger on the desk and remarks, "Did you not say earlier that you would not pry into my private matters?" He leans back in the leather chair and continues calmly, lips curving in a smile too sharp too be safe, "I am placing an order for a product from your company. Are you rejecting my request?"

She bites her lips and bows her head to say quietly, "I humbly apologize. But I have to consider my position. I cannot do this without Ichijo-san's approval or permission."

Rido sighs and tsks, "And here, I thought you would be cooperative."

He stands up and ambles around the desk, his footsteps purposeful and slow. Her eyes follow his every movement, but she does not dare move. He pauses to smirk before he reaches out and curls a hand around her throat. She immediately stills at his touch and the heartbeat skitters under his thumb.

Just like a rabbit, he notes with dark satisfaction.

Rido deliberately leans closer and murmurs lowly, "Do I need to remind you who you should fear here?"

She widens her eyes, and Rido lifts an eyebrow, thumb pressing in ever so slightly in warning.

She swallows before she gives in and says submissively, "I…understand." Her eyes lift towards him, and she continues more assuredly, "Then, I will immediately see that this is carried out to your satisfaction."

"I will accept that answer." Rido lightly runs his thumb over the artery again, pleased at the hitched breathing, the tremor of fear that runs through her. He continues smoothly, "Also, about Ichijo, he does not need to know about this just yet. It will be our little secret."

He steps away and leans against the desk. She watches him with wide eyes, but at his expectant gaze, she recovers herself and nods quickly, "Of course."

She pauses, eyes flicking hesitantly towards him.

He lifts an eyebrow. "Question?"

She asks uncertainly, "If I may, what is it that you would like to do with the blood tablets?"

He gazes at her for a moment before his eyes sharpen and gleam dangerously. "Mayhem. I want to create mayhem."

She stills, and Rido thinks that she might protest or do something as equally pointless. To his surprise, a contemplative expression crosses her eyes before she proposes serenely, "Then, instead of mass producing it, perhaps the modified blood tablets should be sent in a select number of shipments."

He looks at her curiously and prompts, "Oh? Do explain."

"It would make it more difficult to track the drug because only a portion of the vampires would be affected by the side effects. If I may suggest, you may want to persuade the blood banks to do the same. It would be better if both blood tablets and fresh blood are affected to randomize any such incidents that may occur."

Rido pauses, considering her proposal, and observes, "You have a surprising dark side, my dear."

She ducks her head, lips curving in a pleased smile at his impressed tone. "We are a company that strives to satisfy the needs of our customers. And of course, more importantly, this would help deflect any suspicion towards the Ichijo family."

She pauses and adds, "Is there a specific timeline that you want this to be done?"

"Immediately."

"Of course. Then… if you excuse me, I will go and inform my team."

Before she can turn away, Rido reaches out and grasps her arm. She stills and looks unsurely towards him. Her heart rate races when he raises her hand to his lips and croons, voice deep and low in cadence. "The rabbit I caught today was not enough to sate my appetite. I'm afraid I'm still hungry."

Her eyes immediately flick to him, taking in the bright vivid hues gleaming back at her, cold ice in one and bright fire in the other. The unspoken dark promises in his eyes are dangerously alluring and has her tilting her head to the side, baring her smooth, pale neck in invitation. She says softly, "Then please forgive my poor hospitality. Will this suit your taste?"

* * *

Kaname inwardly sighs as the council continues to argue about the recent activity of the hunters. Takuma glances at him and exchanges an equally exasperated look before he leans back against the red velvet cushioned wooden pews placed behind the arrangement of long, half circular long desks that stretch across the width of the room and have seats for each respective council member.

One of the council members, a man with bushy ashy brown hair with a matching beard, who has been yelling loudly for the past half hour thumps his fist on the desk, the gesture scattering the papers nearby, much to the irritation of the woman with short bobbed blond hair next to him. He growls in a deep voice, "How are we going to respond to the Hunter Association's recent aggressiveness? Stop dawdling already and think of a strategy!"

A man with a short auburn beard and curly hair, sitting in the row in front of him, nods and crosses his arms, "I agree. We can no longer ignore their presence or recent behavior."

Someone leans into their microphone and says quietly, "We should have been more vigilant in the first place. The hunters have always been a threat to us."

The comment sends the room spiraling into another uproar with various council members arguing over each other about the severity of the threat.

Ichijo clears his throat, the magnified sound echoing through the room. Everyone immediately quiets down and looks towards Ichijo with varying expressions. He continues, voice calm and serious, "An open debate does not mean we squabble like children. Calm yourself down."

There is a chastised murmur that runs throughout the room, and Kaname observes them with growing exasperation. It truly is baffling how the council manages to get anything done. This is less like a forum and more like a wild circus.

Someone, who Kaname recognizes as Hiruma from before, says condescendingly, "Let us not exaggerate. It is true that the policies of the new president have been…troubling, but are we so easily threatened by a dog barking?"

The council member next to him, a tall woman with long black hair, counters sharply, "A dog barking may be nothing more than a trifle, but a rabid wolf is a different matter. We need to reassert our authority. You all have heard about how the hunters have been stopping vampires at random on the streets and interrogating them, not to mention the sudden increase in patrols and activity."

There are several murmurs of agreement before someone adds, "This is not only an insult to us, but it is a danger to our well-being. This matter must be addressed."

"To think even some of the aristocrats have been harassed. Unacceptable."

"We need to demonstrate our power as a warning to them. Those hunters have become far too insolent with their recent actions."

"While you have a point, do not forget that we still have the treaty in place."

"The treaty? Are you an idiot? It has become a farce by this point. We all know how many _other_ missions the hunters have been carrying out over the years under the tables or do I need to remind you how arbitrary that blacklist of theirs is?"

"Hold on a minute. We are discussing the present problem of the new president, not going through the history of hostility and violence we have with them. We have not gotten along with then, and we certainly will not now. We all know that, so why are some of you so outraged as if this has never occurred to you before?"

"I also would like to add that no one has died in the incidents on the streets. Some of you are going on as if we already are at war again."

"Some would argue that we never stopped being at war."

"It is fine and all if the hunters become more proactive towards dealing with the Level E's, but they cannot be permitted to disturb other vampires like this. It is not safe! And it is only a matter of time before they stop quarreling with us and start shooting us instead!"

"We need to act now!"

Another wave of agreement echoes through the room, this time louder and with a clear hint of anger. Before another argument can break out, Kugamiya asks calmly, "What about our own patrols and guards that we have implemented?"

The woman from before answers, "That has not served as an effective warning. If anything, the hostility has risen between both sides."

Kaname can see some of the council members nodding their heads at that. Ichijo suddenly speaks up then, eyes flickering towards Kaname. "About the patrols, why have you dismissed the guards from the academy, Kuran-sama? I have to say, that seems rather unwise in such a precarious situation as this. There is a significant number of nobles attending there, after all."

At that, the entire room grows still and Kaname can see some of the councilmembers glancing nervously at him and back at Ichijo. He suppresses a frown and merely offers coolly, "I have not dismissed them. They are free to patrol or investigate around the perimeter of the school as they wish."

Ichiou does back down and points out, "We specifically assigned them to the Moon Dorm."

Some members tense anxiously as they observe the exchange of words with fascinated eyes. Kaname raises an eyebrow and counters, voice deep with disapproval, "And I agreed to your decision on the condition that they do not pose as a disturbance. However, their encounters with the hunters were too careless and occurred within view of the humans."

Hiruma speaks up then and remarks, "All the more reason for them to be posted then. The hunters are deliberately provoking them, and it only emphasizes the need for protection for the Night Class."

Kaname frowns slightly. He dislikes how in the midst of the rising tension between the hunters and vampires, the council is still focusing on the academy. He emphasizes, voice sharp with dissatisfaction, "I did not say that the guards were the ones who provoked the hunters or vice versa. Whatever is the case does not matter. Any quarrel or confrontation is not tolerated on schools grounds. Need I remind you that this is a school and not the streets?"

He stares challengingly at Ichijo and continues, "As for the security of the school, if the guards are doing their assigned jobs and watching the perimeter diligently, a threat would be eliminated before entering school grounds, wouldn't it?"

Kaname then raises an eyebrow and asks deliberately, "It seems perfectly reasonable to me. Or is there another reason as to why you want to assign guards to the Night Class?"

Predictably, many of the council members shift uncomfortably at the subtle implications in his words. Ichijo only frowns heavily at him and does not answer. Kugamiya glances towards him and sighs before she says evenly, "We understand. The council would just like to ask you if you could deliberate with us before making such a decision."

Kaname smiles politely and comments, "Of course. We are discussing it now, aren't we?"

A look of exasperation flits briefly across her features before one of the other council members, a young man with wavy blond hair speaks up, "I, ah, agree with Kuran-sama. The situation at the academy seems to be adequately resolved. Let us focus on the issues with the hunters instead. We still have not decided what we should do concerning the new president of the Hunter's Association, after all."

There is a murmur of agreement before various council members argue again over the appropriate response.

Kaname resists the urge to rub his temples. This is going to be a very long week.

* * *

"Hey, Asano."

Asano sighs exasperated as his partner nudges him once for what? The sixth time since they started patrol?

He scowls. This better not be what he thinks it is again. "What is it, asshole? Don't push me."

Komatsu clears his throat deliberately before he announces, "My bladder calls for liberation."

Asano blinks and stops dead in the middle of the sidewalk. He asks blankly, "….Your what now?"

Komatsu lifts an eyebrow and says exasperated, "Dude, what part of that did you not understand? Do I need to repeat it? My. Bladder. Needs - Ow! What the fuck?"

He rubs his head and glowers at Asano, who smacks him once more for good measure.

Asano shoots him a dirty look and retorts, "Me? Ask yourself that first, idiot! Why can't you say you need to go take a leak like a normal person?" He jerks a thumb towards the nearby park and adds crossly, "Oi, go already."

He mutters under his breath, "Even though it's your sixth time already and we have only patrolled for two hours."

Komatsu flips him the middle finger. "I don't complain when you insist on stopping for all those coffee breaks, jackass."

Asano rolls his eyes and watches Komatsu turns towards the park before abruptly stopping. Clutching his stomach, Komatsu grimaces and says hurriedly, "Uh, I may need more time to win this revolution."

Asano's expression flattens as he stares at Komatsu hobbling away.

Why the hell is he stuck with a constantly constipated partner? A constantly constipated _and_ overly dramatic partner?

At this rate, the only routes they can patrol are the ones that have restrooms available or bars that are open at this godforsaken hour.

Asano sighs. No matter how much Komatsu annoys him though, he'll take the partner with the nonexistent bladder over any of those new recruits any day.

Neither does he want to be stuck with those hunters who showed up out of the blue and are always with the president.

Those guys….Man, those guys just give him bad vibes. He can't really pinpoint it, but the restlessness and determination in their faces instinctively makes him feel wary.

His girlfriend keeps telling him to quit as a hunter and go do something safer, like being a company man or a construction worker. And to be frank, he thinks maybe it _is_ a good idea to reconsider other career options.

Sure, being a hunter means going out there and fighting the Level E's, keeping the town safe, and all of that shit that looks nice on paper.

But they are not heroes. Not the kind emblazoned in comic books or movies.

The association has its fair part of twisted schemes and manipulation behind the curtains. He isn't stupid. He knows that. It just never seemed particularly relevant to him.

All he wants is to go out, do a mission, and hopefully not die in the process of preventing people from meeting the Grim Reaper too soon. The nuances and ulterior motives can be left to the higher ups. At the end of the day, if Asano can help protect just one more life, then that is all that matters.

But, there are some things that don't add up, that he can't ignore anymore, like the bombing in the abandoned warehouse weeks ago or the sudden push to be more assertive and vigilant on patrols.

It is one thing to be dappled in gray and another to be stained in black. The line is there for a reason, and he is not comfortable with how they keep tangoing with it these days.

Damn, everything smells like shit lately.

Clatter!

Asano immediately stills, his train of thought completely derailed and his hand already reaching for the gun in his holster. Who the hell is out at this time in the night?

His hunter instincts prickle suddenly, and Asano tenses at the aura approaching him. Vampire.

Asano draws the gun, finger immediately on the trigger as he looks towards the lamppost on the corner of the street. He furrows his eyebrows as a dark brown haired man in his late twenties stumbles forward, foot carelessly kicking a dented beer can. The can rolls across the cobblestone, and the metal din echoes through the empty street.

Asano watches the guy warily. He can sense the aura rippling with power. Not a Level E... A noble?

He frowns before calling out, "Hey! You can't be loitering here. This is a residential area."

To his irritation, the noble does not hear him and continues to walk forward. Although, Asano notes with some confusion that the man's steps seem strangely stilted and unbalanced.

Man, this better be not another vampire coming to harass them for the increase in patrols or interrogations.

He does not want to deal with that shit. It's not like he understands the sudden need for stricter surveillance either.

Asano frowns. He opens his mouth, ready to give out a warning before to his utter surprise, the vampire suddenly sways and crumples down on the sidewalk, right under the yellow-orange halo of the lamppost.

Asano blinks and stares at the sight with equal amounts of alarm and wariness. What the absolute fuck? What the hell is wrong with that vampire?

God, he hates the night patrol.

He curses under his breath and grimaces. With eyes gauging the vampire for any sudden movement, he approaches closer to the vampire with his gun still drawn and stops at a safe enough distance away. Asano scans the vampire again, who still lies face first on the ground.

Seriously? What the fuck? Is he drunk? That can't be right. Aren't nobles too refined to get this shitfaced?

He sighs and calls out again, voice heavy with irritation, "Oi, vampire! Get up. Don't make me have to escort you." At the lack of movement or response, Asano furrows his eyebrows and asks warily, "Hey, can you hear me? What the hell is wrong with you?"

There is another long pause before Asano hears a low groan and watches the vampire slowly pull himself up, white knuckled hands gripping the lamppost for support. He breathes heavily before he mutters, "Get out of here!"

Asano raises an eyebrow and retorts, "I should be the one telling you that! Look man, you know how things are between us and you guys right now, yeah? So unless you have a death wish, how about you get ahold of yourself and stop wandering aimlessly in the streets."

The vampire tenses and whips his head towards Asano. He yells, voice hoarse and eyes wild and frantic. "Get away from me!"

Asano narrows his eyes at the bright crimson hue of those irises and curses again in his head. Shit, bloodthirst? He mentally groans. God, how the fuck is he supposed to deal with this?

Asano scrutinizes the vampire sharply, all of his senses focusing on the slightest hint of movement. He does not want to shoot this guy if he can help it.

This man is a noble, and while those new recruits or hell, a good portion of hunters, would have already shot first and asked questions later, he is not like those fucktards. Actions have consequences, and he is not going to be the guy who causes a war between the two sides.

Even if that is what their new president seems to be gunning for.

Asano tries to keep his voice even and nonthreatening as he says calmly, "Alright. How about you calm down, ok? And do something about the bloodthirst of yours?" He nods towards the guy and continues, "Don't you have uh, blood tablets or something?"

At that, the guy stares at him wide-eyed – Asano frowns at the feverish flush coloring the pale cheeks and the unfocused, glazed over look in those eyes - and mumbles, "You don't…You don't understand. I keep – I keep t _rying_ and – and…"

The vampire lets his voice trail off before he takes an audible shaky breath and runs a hand agitatedly through his tousled hair. He slumps down the lamppost, arms tightly crossed around him, and whispers aloud, "I don't - I don't understand. I normally have myself under control."

Asano stills at the tremble in his voice, the quiet self-admission. His eyes flick over the vampire again and he frowns. What the hell is happening here? Is he…sick?

He immediately tenses when the vampire shifts, gun snapping up again, but the vampire only fumbles through his pockets. Asano watches him pulling out a white prescription bottle and shaking out a dozen or so white tablets on his palm. He widens his eyes when the guy quickly shoves them all in his mouth and swallows them dry.

"Oi! Are you…are you supposed to take that much? What's wrong with you?"

The noble does not answer and instead to Asano's increasing bewilderment, he all but collapses there against the lamppost, arms tightly wrapped around himself again and knees brought to his chest. Asano observes with alarm as a visible shudder wracks through the guy. The guy rocks back and forth on the back of his heels, chest heaving hard. His jaw is clenched, sweat dripping down his face, and Asano can see the taut lines of tensed muscles.

Shit. This is not good.

Despite the high dose, the noble looks no better off. What the hell? Aren't the blood tablets supposed to control the bloodthirst?

Asano frowns. It looks like he might have to forcibly subdue this guy.

He takes a step forward and immediately stops when the vampire's eyes immediately snap to him. Crimson eyes flashing, he yells with a panicked edge to his voice, "Get away from me! You – you need to leave me alone. For your own good."

Asano immediately tenses as the lamp buzzes loudly before the light starts flickering erratically. Power pulses in the air and Asano's eyes catch the electricity crackling across the vampire's form.

His fingers tighten on the gun. Asano says seriously, "You need to calm the hell down, man. I can't leave you alone and let you roam around town in this condition."

Judging by the pained expression, the clenched fists, and the fear creeping in the guy's voice, this noble is clearly fighting the bloodthirst. But, Asano can already tell that it is a losing battle.

Goddamn it. He needs to resolve this situation before the noble loses control of himself.

Where the hell is Komatsu? Who the fuck takes this long of a shit on a patrol?

His eyes flick across the distance once more before his expression steels over. "No hard grudges, but I need to sedate you for a while."

He immediately starts muttering incantations under his breath, a basic ward to make a vampire dizzy enough to fall unconscious. Or at least he hopes this works.

God, he's shit at wards and seals.

It takes more effort to bring down a noble than a lower ranked vampire. Quite honestly, he thinks he would have a better chance doing a blood seal or ward. But that requires blood, and it is an asinine idea to do that when the guy is practically a living battery right now, not to mention the bloodthirst.

The vampire jerks back against the lamppost and clutches his head in his hands. The deep groan in pain makes Asano cringe in sympathy, but it also means that it has some effect on the noble.

He chants the words faster under his breath before a sudden harsh buzz slices through him and he immediately flinches back in reaction. He grimaces, mentally checking for any injuries. That…that felt like electricity.

His eyes widen in alarm. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Darker blue jagged lines dance off the vampire's form, and Asano is not sure if he even realizes that he is emitting the charge or not. Damn it.

He resumes the incantation and moves quickly back away from the crackling buzz and static that he can now see visibly fluctuating in the air. He raises the gun and trains it on the vampire. Should he shoot? Or keep on chanting?

What if he does nonlethal shots? And well if it comes to it, he will have to do what he has to do.

At the back of his mind, he can already hear his mentor rebuking him harshly for being an idiot, that when dealing with vampires or any other dangerous threat, shooting to wound will only endanger himself and the people around him.

Before he can make his decision, the vampire suddenly staggers to his feet and gazes straight at him. Cold dread plummets in his stomach when he sees the elongated fangs and the crazed, maniacal red gleam in those eyes. Hungry. Predatory.

The guy lost it. Shit. Shit. He took too long.

Asano grits his teeth and presses the trigger. The gunshot echoes loudly through the still air and he does not hesitate to fire off successive shots. Shoulder. Arm. Leg. Chest.

The vampire howls with pain as the bullets shred through him, and dark red crimson seeps quickly through his clothes. His features contort into fury and he snarls.

Asano reflexively leaps back as the vampire charges towards him. Damn it. He fires off another shot and widens his eye at the bolt of lightning whipping towards him.

He immediately throws himself as far to his right as he can to dodge, knees and elbows scarping harshly against the gritty, cold pavement. The bolt barely misses hitting him, but the arc of electricity passes over his calf. The searing intense heat scalds his skin like white-hot liquid lava.

Asano chokes back a scream as millions of sharp jolts of pain mercilessly shred through his leg until it dulls in a throbbing ache. He has no time to think about that because the vampire lunges forward, hands outstretched and hissing. Unable to move in time, he raises the gun, finger repeatedly pulling the trigger towards the vampire.

The vampire, this time, does not falter and continues to press forward, using his agility to dodge whatever bullets he can and ignoring any that he can't.

Asano's eyes catch three more bullets piercing through the vampire's legs and another two in the arms. What the fuck? Hell, it should be easy for that noble to kill him now, take advantage of the fact that he's sprawled on the ground right now. The guy has a long-distance ability, and yet he keeps charging forward towards the rain of bullets, eyes blazing a brilliant red.

Asano stills. Bloodthirsty. This guy…. This guy is acting like an animal would when cornered. He is not even thinking. He is running on pure animalistic instincts.

Asano curses and fires the gun again. Shit. Shit. There is a blur of blood soaked fabric before a heavy pressure tumbles straight into him. Wha-?

He widens his eyes at the hissing vampire sitting on top of him. Asano immediately pulls up a leg and slams it into the vampire, one hand raising the gun to shoot it, when the vampire darts out a hand and twists it.

Asano curses furiously at the white hot pain that streaks up his arm as he hears the nauseating crack of bone. The gun clatters uselessly down to the ground and he desperately shoves against the vampire to displace him. He screams when pain courses through him, tears apart all his nerves, and stabs his chest, suffocating and throbbing. His mind dimly realizes the muscles spasms, the violent shudders that wrack his body.

His eyes flick to the vampire and sees the erratic lines of electricity sparking through the guy. Is he being electrocuted?

The vampire roughly turns his head to the side, fingernails digging into the skin, before he leans down and bites down harshly. Asano feels the muscle there twitch involuntarily, but he can't register anything else. Whatever initial pain is only consumed by the razor sharp edges of the buzz shredding him until all he can feel and register is the blindingly white numbness.

His thoughts swirl in distorted images and words. Asano thinks he may be screaming, but he can't tell anything apart from the throbbing deep in his bones that sounds incredibly like his own heartbeat.

A distant familiar voice cuts through the hazy background. "Hey, I'm done. Man, maybe I should cut back on the junkfood or somet - Hey! Get the fuck off him!"

The pressure on top of him suddenly disappears. Asano hears a snarl followed by a string of curses and a clash of metal. He blinks groggily. All of his instincts scream at him to get up already, but everything aches, his muscles his head. Something warm and sticky runs down the side of his throat.

Asano grimaces and slowly sits up, ignoring the deep set ache and the trembling muscles. The world spins in splotches of dark green, and he blinks rapidly to clear away the dizzying swirl of colors. Damn it, he feels faint from the blood loss.

He hears Komatsu cursing again before something metal scrapes against the cobblestone.

Gun. He needs to get the gun.

His eyes rove the ground above him until the silver gleam to his left catches his eyes.

He stretches for it with his unbroken hand, wincing at the strain of muscles. His fingers fumble to grasp the gun, and it takes a couple of tries and cuss words to grab it.

Asano breathes in shakily as he quickly fumbles for another magazine. With practiced motions, his hands quickly move across the gun, reinserting the new magazine with a sharp click and pulling back the slide on the barrel.

"Shit!"

Asano freezes at the loud, gurgled cry and whips his head back with wide eyes. Komatsu's sword clangs down on the ground, the white-silver steel gleaming as it falls. Komatsu lets out a strangled noise as his hands come up to scrabble desperately at the noble's hands around his throat.

Asano curses and fires his gun. The noble's eyes slide towards him, the bright crimson irises mirroring the red smeared grotesquely across his lips, as he takes that millisecond to pivot slightly to his right.

Asano watches in horror as the bullet tears instead into Komatsu's arm.

Shit. Shit. He can't shoot like this if Komatsu is the way.

Up. He needs to stand up.

He takes a steady breath before he forces himself to stand up. His head throbs dully and his legs quiver violently. He stumbles and nearly collapses again with the effort.

Komatsu. He needs to get to Komatsu.

Asano grits his teeth and forces himself to stand straight, muscles heaving with effort. He staggers forward before he forces his legs to move towards them. His eyes train on Komatsu who looks eerily still now, slumping against the vampire. The loud slurps fills the air as the vampire continues to tear messily into Komatsu's throat.

Crimson pools under the two's feet and Asano can't tell if it's because of Komatsu's wounds or the noble's.

At the sound of his footsteps, the vampire immediately lets go of Komatsu, and Asano watches Komatsu drop down carelessly and lifelessly with a soft thud.

Dead, his mind whispers. He tenses, but his legs tremble once more. He can't run like this.

He hears the snarl, the heavy breathing as the vampire staggers towards him. Cold resignation drowns any fear, and with his mind completely devoid of thought, Asano raises the gun.

He does not flinch or dodge as the clawed hand thrusts forward, piercing through his stomach, and instead steps forward.

At this distance, he won't miss. A guaranteed death shot.

Asano presses the barrel to the vampire's forehead and pulls the trigger.

Bang!

Warm liquid splatters his face as the vampire immediately stills and collapses down. Blood quickly spreads out from under him, spilling over the cobblestone and seeping into the cracks like a morbid, red flower. Asano watches as the noble's body gradually dissolve into a pile of dust.

The heavy coppery scent suffocates the air. A wave of nausea rises up in him.

Asano presses a hand to his stomach, his shirt squelching wetly with the touch. He pulls back his hand and stares at the bright red staining his entire palm.

He blinks before his legs suddenly give out and Asano finds himself face down on the cold pavement. His ears register the gun clattering down as well.

He takes in a shaky breath. Everything spins and blurs together in fragments of colors. He feels his eyelids grow heavy, and he blinks dazedly.

As black encroaches his vision, Asano faintly thinks that he really should have listened to his girlfriend.

* * *

"Kaname? Are you alright?" Takuma asks again after he observes Kaname rubbing his neck for the fifth time today.

Kaname only frowns and says distractedly, an uncharacteristic edge of irritation in his voice, "I'm fine, Takuma."

He taps his fingers impatiently on the coffee table. This meeting is not going well at all. He did not expect it to in the first place, but annoyance still registers all the same.

The situation at the academy is no longer the pressing issue here anymore.

No. What is more important is how to keep the tension between the two sides from igniting like a keg of gunpowder.

And the most frustrating thing is that even if he does manage to control the council and convince them to tread carefully here, his efforts have no meaning if the hunters do not do the same.

The strings are laid so clearly before him, but the puppets that they connect to aren't his. It is painfully easy to see that the hunters are baiting the council into retaliating. The increased patrols, the hostility on the streets, the very conspicuous increase in activity and supplies.

The president is not hiding any of it. He _wants_ the council to see, and the council members are acting predictably in response. The calls for patrols of their own, closer surveillance of the hunters...the increasing support for a display of power to remind hunters of their place...

Kaname frowns again, and Takuma watches his expression tighten. He sighs, putting aside the matter of Kaname's restlessness this week, and instead remarks, "Everyone seems fired up lately, don't they?"

Kaname answers, voice grave and frustrated, "And if nothing else is done about it, the status quo between the two sides will go up in flames as well."

Takuma gazes at him and asks quietly, "You think things would reach that point?"

Kaname sighs heavily. "I think they already have, Takuma."

Takuma only nods, unsurprised, most likely having thought the same thing. He asks calmly, "What should we do then?"

Kaname pushes aside the files in front of him and leans back in the sofa, the soft cushion sinking underneath him. Instead of answering, he asks tiredly, "Takuma, what do you think would happen if war broke out between the two sides again?"

Takuma reaches out and shuffles the papers as he answers idly, "It would be an apocalypse." He lifts his head up and continues with a small smile that does not reach his eyes, "Correct?"

Kaname nods wordlessly.

The unspoken words loom ominously in the air, and Kaname feels more tired than ever. He ignores the aching throb in his neck and reaches for the cup of coffee instead.

"Do you want to stop the council?"

Kaname stills at the calm words spoken so lightly despite the dangerous implications. His eyes look searchingly at Takuma, whose green eyes look as bright and amiable as always and yet completely unreadable. The words are honest though, and Kaname responds lightly, "The council has not made any decisions yet, Takuma. And while we are on the brink of war, war has not broken out yet."

Takuma considers his words for a moment before he asks, "Do you want me to talk with my grandfather?"

Kaname frowns and says disapprovingly, "No. That is not necessary."

Takuma shakes his head and says with a hint of exasperation, "Kaname, if it would - "

"Things are strained between the two of you already." Kaname interrupts sharply before he continues with a note of concern, "So do not worry yourself over this."

Takuma pauses at his troubled expression and slowly concedes, "If that's what you want Kaname, then alright."

Kaname nods.

Takuma takes a careful sip of his coffee before he comments, "I suppose, the only thing to do is to keep the council from acting too hastily."

Kaname makes a noise of agreement and says, "As well as the hunters."

Kaname inwardly sighs and closes his eyes.

That is easier to be said than done. Even if there is clear manipulation here, both sides still have their own agendas and ulterior motives. He knows that many vampires have derogatory attitudes towards the humans, and recent events have only strengthened their perspective that vampires should reassert their control and power over all of society.

And it is not hard to imagine a similar attitude for the hunters either, a number of them no doubt resenting the vampires for the influence they already exert over the humans.

They are all dancing on the brink of catastrophe, and it unnerves him how it takes only one decision, one action that shoves down the path of no return.

His neck suddenly throbs harshly again, and all of his earlier irritation wells up again.

He does not _understand_.

That tingle he felt at first has only gradually worsened throughout the week. His neck feels unbearably warm, the burn pulsing and ticking under his skin like a second heartbeat.

It drives him mad.

The sensation pulls his muscles taut like a bow string and sends his fingers twitching restlessly. An inexplicable feeling of dissatisfaction worms itself into his thoughts and chafes against him all day like a scratchy sweater.

Kaname wants to scratch his skin and rub away the feeling, but the feeling persists and scrapes that much more insistently against his senses. He suspects that it is the bond acting out, but god, he does not understand why it is. And why now?

He can't afford to deal with the bond right now. Not when he has to be in these tedious debates and discussions with the council members.

But it does and it has, numerous times this week and even in the middle of conversation.

It is irritating. Dangerous.

He cannot be distracted like this. Facing off with the council is akin to dancing a tango in which all dance partners hold a knife to each other's neck. Any misstep would lead to a crack in his carefully constructed image and mask. Any revealed weakness is one that his enemies and opponents would be all too eager to capitalize on like the vultures they really are.

It is imperative that he keeps his wits about him right now.

But, whenever he tries to ignore the feeling and push it to the back of his mind, the burning pulse in his neck only returns with tenfold the intensity. It throbs and flares wildly, demanding and angry.

It is as if the bond refuses to be silenced.

He needs, wants – wants….God, he does not know what, but the feeling of yearning twists around him and smothers him with its insistence. It courses relentlessly through his blood, drumming and searching, ravenous for something. His chest tightens with the suffocating pressure. All of his instincts bristle and strain against him.

Kaname's jaw clenches. He feels so _frustrated_ with this.

And, the dark tinged irritation only crashes dangerously with the white-hot burn in his neck, the instinctual desire drumming hard through him until the sensation churns violently, a scalding sea of molten fire.

It claws into him, digs deep under his skin with its talons. It flays all of his thoughts to bits and has his hands clenching with an undeniable thirst, craving.

He can feel his beast shifting impatiently, threatening to break out of the cage that Kaname had carefully constructed from years of practicing self-control and patience.

But most of all, Kaname feels like he's being driven insane. How could feelings, the bond, something so intangible, affect him this much?

In _one_ week. In one week, the bond has him on the brink of chaos.

Takuma watches Kaname silently and senses the thick irritation and restlessness that rolls heavily off him. He furrows his eyebrows and asks firmly, "What is wrong, Kaname? You have been distracted ever since we arrived here."

Kaname immediately clears away his thoughts and tries to think past the determined throbbing in his neck. "I…I am just stressed over the meeting, I suppose."

Takuma sighs and the sheer exasperation in that one sigh has Kaname looking towards him with curiosity. He stares at Kaname, utterly unconvinced at the excuse. He says calmly, "Does this have anything to do with how you disappeared off on Saturday?"

Kaname tenses and stays silent. Sitting across from him on the other sofa, Takuma gazes at him for another moment and says quietly, "This wouldn't have anything to do with the ….hypothetical situation we talked about the other day, would it?"

This time, Kaname sighs and smiles wryly, "You already know, don't you?"

Takuma shrugs, green eyes calm and open gazing back at him. "So you did?"

There is no point in hiding it now, and Kaname says resignedly, "I may have." Zero's expression flits through his mind again and he grimaces, fingers coming up to rub his temples tiredly. He admits, "And I may have acted without thinking."

Takuma watches him for a moment before he asks suddenly, voice concerned, "Is it bothering you right now?"

Kaname pauses in confusion. "What?"

Takuma gestures towards his neck and explains, "The bond. You keep rubbing your neck."

Kaname frowns at the obvious detail and wonders if he has done it too often this week and aroused suspicion. He says carefully, "It…something does not feel right."

Takuma frowns. "As in what exactly?"

Kaname stays silent as he struggles to find the words to describe the sensation. He finally settles on, "It…I feel like I'm missing something, something important."

Takuma contemplates his words for a moment before he suggests, "Perhaps it's because you have been away from your mate."

At that, Kaname tenses and says sharply, vexed, "It has only been a few days, not even a week yet. It is not a dramatic time period. I don't understand how the bond can affect like this already." He frowns and continues with an edge of impatience, "It does not make sense. If vampires could not bear to be apart from their mate for a week, nothing would be accomplished. It's impractical."

Takuma blinks at Kaname's rare irritation and says carefully, "Bonds react differently depending on the type of relationship and the person. Kaname…you're a pureblood. Is it so odd that you feel the effects of the bond more strongly?"

Kaname pauses, his mind running over Takuma's statement. Because he is a pureblood?

Takuma glances at him before he continues lightly, "Seiren mentioned this before, but the bond might be compensating for the lack of a solid emotional connection. If the bond feels like the two people involved are not close enough, is it not reasonable to expect the bond to react accordingly?"

"Compensating?" Kaname questions. He furrows his eyebrows and says, "You're talking as if the bond is a living thing."

Takuma shrugs. "I won't go so far as to say that it has a mind of its own, but a bond is the manifestation of the feelings shared between two vampires, right? It's a bridge of sorts between two souls. I think it would have to adapt correspondingly to how feelings fluctuate and whatnot." He pauses and smiles hesitantly. "Or at least that is what I think. You might want to do some actual research, Kaname."

Kaname stays silent as he considers Takuma's words. Blood bonds are to enrich and enhance a relationship, the connection, the _love_ two people had for each other. They are not supposed to overwhelm an individual, but...

He does not really know what to classify the way things are between Zero and him right now. They did not enter this in an already established relationship after all.

If two people are not close enough….a bridge between two souls…

His mind flashes back to all the moments where he could distinctively feel the bond react. Maybe….Maybe it is because he and Zero did not start with romantic feelings that the bond feels this unstable, like it's trying to maintain the connection between them.

And it most likely did not help that he left for a week, away from Zero.

He furrows his eyebrows in sudden concern. If he feels like this right now, then what about Zero? Is he feeling the same?

Kaname frowns. He needs to resolve things here soon.

He mentally rebukes himself. He should have given this more thought. He and Zero are still trying to figure things out; of course, the bond between them would be tenuous and shaky.

Takuma observes the pensive expression and asks hesitantly, "Kaname, who did you form a blood bond with?"

Kaname pauses at the sudden question. Should he tell Takuma?

He glances back and sees bright green eyes gazing back, gentle and open. This is Takuma, after all, and Kaname easily makes his decision. He confesses quietly, eyes surveying Takuma for his reaction, "Zero."

Takuma completely stills at that, eyes widening in surprise. Stunned, he only says, "Oh. Huh. I wasn't expecting - " He pauses as the full implications registers. He looks at Kaname and says incredulously, "You formed a blood bond with _Kiryu-kun_?"

Kaname shifts slightly under the incredulous stare and answers uncomfortably, "Yes?"

Takuma stares at him speechlessly before he leans back in the sofa and a thoughtful look crosses his features. After a moment's deliberation, he seemingly comes to a decision and his usual amiable smile returns. He comments lightly, "I guess some things make more sense now."

Kaname blinks at Takuma's sudden change in attitude and asks blankly, "Like what exactly?"

"You um let it slip out earlier that it was not a she." Takuma explains and continues to list the other reasons, much to Kaname's growing discomfort and embarrassment. "And you seemed slightly protective of him when the hunters were arguing with the guards. And then Seiren came back on with the strangest expression on her face and said you were resting, which I thought was stranger because you were not in the Moon Dorms - "

"Takuma, please stop…talking." Kaname murmurs helplessly with his hand over his face and the splayed out fingers covering his expression. Takuma smiles apologetically, although his eyes twinkle in amusement at Kaname's reaction.

Kaname stills as Takuma's words run through his head again. Did Takuma just say that – His mind fumbles and he asks bewilderedly, "Hold on a minute. What did Seiren say?"

Takuma blinks at the sudden question and he ventures unsurely, "Oh, she- um- I think she saw you with Zero? When she was trying to find you on Saturday? I thought it was strange when she told me to leave you alone because you were resting since you were not in the dorms." He shrugs and continues, "But I guess it makes sense now."

On Saturday? Kaname freezes, remembering the position he woke up in, and repeats aloud, "She saw?"

Takuma glances over at him, surprised at the rare tone of panic and dread. He starts hesitantly, "Yes? I mean, surveillance is one of her skills and – Oh." He pauses, realization dawning in his eyes. Takuma clears his throat and says again, cheeks reddening slightly, "Oh."

Kaname furrows his eyebrows, confused at Takuma's sudden embarrassment before understanding floods him. His eyes widen and he quickly tries to correct Takuma's completely wrong assumption. "Takuma, that isn't what you think it…is – We weren't - I -"

Takuma winces and interrupts, waving a hand to stop him. He gives Kaname a reassuring look that only increases Kaname's exasperation and mortification. "That is… normal between mates." Takuma pauses before he clears his throat and continues, "Actually, I'm a little relieved to know that the two of you are not fighting or hostile towards each other."

"I-"

A sudden knock at the door interrupts him and Seiren's voice echoes through, "Kaname-sama?"

Kaname glances at Takuma, who only smiles reassuringly again, before he sighs and says resignedly, "Come in, Seiren."

The door swings open, and Seiren immediately steps in, hand quickly reaching back to shut the door. She lifts her head with eyes suddenly blazing and says urgently, "I just received news that - " She stops midsentence as she finally takes in Kaname's and Takuma's expressions.

Seiren raises a slim eyebrow and asks in concern, "Is everything alright? You both look red."

Kaname blinks, and Takuma waves a hand dismissively and quickly says, "Nothing! It's the…heat."

Seiren stares at Takuma for a moment before she says slowly, "…The room has air conditioning."

Kaname sighs and covers his face again. Takuma pauses and starts hesitantly, "I…um have allergies?"

Seiren, unfortunately, does not notice the reluctant demeanors of the two and asks briskly, "Shall I call in a doctor?"

Before Takuma can answer and make this conversation even more painful to bear, Kaname responds instead, tone blunt and slightly exasperated, "No. That is not necessary. We both are fine, Seiren."

Seiren pauses, eyes regarding him with a bewildered expression. "…I see."

Before she can question him, Kaname continues, "Seiren, what did you say earlier? What news has you looking so hurried?"

At that, Seiren tenses, light violet eyes solemn and serious, as she recounts gravely, "I received news that two hunters and a prominent noble has just been found dead in a residential area."

Takuma stiffens and he glances questioningly at Kaname. Kaname's eyes narrow, jaw clenching, and he says sharply, "Tell me all the details."

* * *

Rido leans back in the armchair and taps his fingers idly. It seems he has been making far too many office visits these days.

Heavy footsteps suddenly echo in the near distance, the stride purposeful and brisk. Rido raises an eyebrow. It seems Ichijo is irritated.

He smirks. That visit to the pharmaceutical company was indeed productive. He did not expect the results to work out so fantastically. Only three dead, and everyone is already in uproar.

How unfortunate that the weather forecast calls for many more casualties to come in the following days.

People might have wavered before, but with these new developments, everyone is certain to pick a side.

Although, quite honestly, Rido does not think he even needed to do that much work on the hunters. That new president must be satisfied in how things are proceeding his way.

He chuckles darkly. How completely naïve.

The door suddenly swings open, and Ichijo pauses ever so slightly in surprise as his eyes flick towards Rido. He recovers quickly though and merely closes the door with a sharp click.

He strides towards the desk and bows his head shortly. In a measured voice, Ichijo intones respectively, "What brings you here to my office, Kuran-sama?"

Rido merely raises an eyebrow and remarks loftily, "You wound me. Have we not known each other for quite some time now?" His lips curve in a razor sharp smile as he continues, "I might even consider you an old friend, Ichijo."

Ichijo surveys him warily, but says in his usual grave manner, "…I apologize. Forgive my manners. Your appearance caught me by surprise. I did not expect you to be so…"

"Alive? Resurrected?" Rido chuckles, "Neither did I. But all's well that ends well."

Ichijo looks questioningly at him, but does not press for details. Rido continues, "I have need of household staff. You wouldn't mind if I borrow some people, would you?"

Ichijo pauses in surprise before he nods and responds succinctly, "Of course not. I will make the arrangements. Would you like an appropriate lodging to be prepared as well?"

Rido hides a smirk. Of course, Ichijo would not refuse the request. Accepting it only gives him a way to keep eyes on Rido, especially considering the abruptness of his resurrection. That is fine. Everything will come to light eventually, and by then, no one will be able to do anything.

He leans back in the chair and says dismissively, "No. I already have a wonderful estate."

Ichijo frowns slightly and asks carefully, "The Kuran family mansion?"

Rido raises an eyebrow and looks deliberately at Ichijo, eyes flashing with dark amusement. He remarks, "Why the surprise, Ichijo? Am I not the head of the family?"

Ichijo's forehead creases, but he only answers briefly, "Forgive me. Of course, you are."

Rido gestures to the chair and comments, "Why don't you sit down? It feels odd for you to be standing in your own office."

Ichijo's gaze slides to him briefly before he strides towards his desk and sits easily down in the chair. Rido watches him and observes, "You seem a little disgruntled. Care to tell what has you irritated?"

Ichijo only reaches for the documents on the desk and says gravely, "It is nothing you need to concern yourself over."

"Coming back from the near dead means I have a lot to catch up on." Rido's eyes gleam as he asserts, a warning lilt in his tone, "Tell me. I insist."

Ichijo looks towards him and answers calmly, "How negligent of me then. Of course I will, if it interests you so."

Rido sits back, a hand against his cheek, as Ichijo succinctly summarizes the proceedings of the council.

Ichijo finishes with a heavy frown when he mentions the recent news of the death of the noble. "At this point, it is still unclear if the hunters provoked the noble into attacking or if there were other factors involved."

Rido suppresses an annoyed sigh. Even with this, the council seems to be deliberating. How tedious. Instead, he remarks, "Ichijo, have you perhaps grown placid in my absence?"

Ichijo glances at him and answers steadily, "I do not understand. What do you mean?"

Rido raises an eyebrow, "Does it truly matter if who is at fault in this incident? A noble is dead regardless, and that is already alarming in itself. You seem to be underestimating the hunters…and this new president of theirs. In fact, I'm a little surprised you have not given a….little show of force already."

He adds, letting deep disapproval sharpen his tone, "I see no reason for compromise here."

Rido catches the way Ichijo's eyes harden, the sliver of cold ire gleaming through. One more push then. He knows how ruthless and cutthroat Ichijo can be; but unfortunately, that meticulous pensiveness of his gets in the way at times.

Rido continues in a deliberately condescending tone, "Those who hesitate lose, Ichijo."

Ichijo stiffens ever so slightly, and he regards Rido contemplatively for a moment before asking curiously, "How will you react to this?"

At that, Rido relaxes and settles back against the velvet armchair. He says indifferently, "React? Why do I need to? Isn't this the role of the council? And yours?" He shrugs and continues lazily, "I am more interested in what my dear nephew is up to these days."

Interest flickers in Ichijo's eyes at that, but he merely proposes evenly, "Perhaps I should rephrase. Would you be against in….offering us your esteemed assistance?"

Rido's lips stretch into a sharp grin, dark satisfaction curling through him. Ichijo has already made his decision then. Perfect.

He stands up, hands sliding into his pockets, and remarks, "I don't think you need my aid in crushing a few bugs, but…" He smirks again, eyes glimmering ominously, "This does seem entertaining. If you need my help, you know where to find me."

* * *

War, hmm?

Rido smirks as he strides down the darkened alley. Oh. This is almost too easy. They're all falling like dominoes under his hand.

Leading sheep to slaughter has never been this entertaining before.

A voice calls out from the shadows, "You seem pleased. Congratulations."

The figure steps out, the white silvery grey strands gleaming in the shaft of moonlight cutting through the darkness. The man tugs at the sleeves of his lab coat and looks expectantly towards him.

Rido chuckles, pleased. "How talented. All those hunters keeping you under house arrest and you still managed to escape." He nods towards the white gauze on the man's temple and comments, "Although not unscathed, it seems."

Ogata shrugs and offers indifferently, "It makes it more authentic, doesn't it?"

Rido remarks with heavy amusement, "I would say you are dedicated to your craft, but I am unsure if that is your research or your acting." His eyes steel over in seriousness though as he asks, "How long?"

"I have about an hour before the guards change shifts."

Rido makes a noncommittal noise and leans against the wall. "Does he suspect anything?"

Ogata shakes his head and answers briskly, "No. Everything is going to plan. I have access to him, the higher ups, and all of the classified information."

"That is to be expected." Rido's lips twitch upwards and he adds, "You did sacrifice a rather lovely assistant."

Ogata glances at him and asks with more emotionless intrigue than anything, "Did she suit your taste?"

Rido shrugs and answers carelessly, "I almost felt sorry for her. She tried so hard to protect the papers. Even though I was the intended recipient." He frowns slightly and comments, voice hinted with displeasure, "Although, daylight? You could not have arranged for a better time?"

Ogata immediately bows shortly in apology and says in a respective tone, "I apologize. Takenaka was a bit more aggressive than I expected. I didn't expect to be apprehended so soon."

Rido watches him and notes, "You do not seem at all worried by him."

Ogata raises an eyebrow and says matter-of-factly, "As you said, the only thing that interest me is my research. And, if we are going to talk about taking risks here, I would say that you are the most dangerous one here, Kuran-sama."

Rido smirks and nods, "I will accept that answer." His eyes flick over Ogata, fascinated by how there is no guilt or hesitation on the man's face, only cold reason and rationale etched as deeply into his demeanor as the age-old wrinkles on his face. He observes, "The only thing you care about is your research, isn't it? I can see why they call you a mad scientist."

Ogata answers dismissively, "You have quite the reputation yourself."

Rido's eyes flicker with amusement as he agrees, "That I do." He continues, "Any new developments on Takenaka's pet project?"

At that Ogata's silence, Rido's gaze slides back to him and he smirks at the excitement streaking across Ogata's features. He chuckles, "Oh, that seems promising."

Ogata's dark eyes widen in anticipation, and he says, "I apologize for the insolence, but I may need you to donate some blood."

* * *

Zero swallows and rubs his neck again. The touch only ignites another overwhelming wave of tingles prickling sharply through his skin. He bites back a groan, fingers clenching in pain and the coarse hay underneath roughly scratching his skin.

The feeling…is not pleasant. It does not feel good at all. No, the tingles only add to a deep ache that embeds underneath his skin.

It honestly feels like what a bruise would if he kept pressing against it with his fingers.

Zero grimaces and mutters some more curses under his breath. What the hell is going on?

Is this because of the bond? Because of…of what happened over the weekend?

No, that can't be right. Why would it cause him actual physical pain?

That makes no goddamned sense.

Zero frowns and runs a hand agitatedly through his hair. He doesn't get it.

Even now, the ache still stirs and twists through him. It feels crazy to think this, but it feels as if the bond is retaliating for something.

But what?

Whenever he goes to the class changeover this week, his mind keeps recognizing and cataloging Kaname's absence. It is frustrating and annoying because of course, Kaname wouldn't be there; he's at a meeting.

Zero doesn't understand why he keeps noticing this useless detail.

Or why it keeps registering with a distinct feeling of dissatisfaction within him. It does not sit right with him. The feeling slithers through and twists inside. It makes his fingers twitch restlessly because he is missing something.

Something that does not fit here, like someone jammed the wrong puzzle piece to the jigsaw puzzle in his head. The feeling of wrongness rebounds off the walls of his mind. It nags him, persistent and troubling. It blends into the inexplicable sense of melancholy settling over him, a faded blue that dulls his senses and wraps him up in a fuzzy lethargy.

The fact that these feelings have materialized out of nowhere bothers him more than the feelings themselves.

Zero is sick of it.

It feels like something inside of him is tugging his strings and rummaging through his head. He feels manipulated, and familiar frustration knots inside of him again. He does not want to lose control, not when he has so little of it and not when holding on to his sense of self is like holding water in cupped hands.

Everything feels smeared together. All the colors in his head run together, and he does not know which thoughts or feelings are his own and which ones are influenced by the bond.

Zero frowns. Things between Kaname and him are so frustratingly undefined and _different_ that he does not even have a baseline to compare the normality of his behavior to anymore.

Even the aching pain in his neck is abstract and intangible. He can go look in the mirror, but his skin won't be speckled with blue and purple like the bruise that should be there.

He feels like he is losing his mind.

Lily shifts restlessly at the discomfort radiating off Zero. She nickers softly and drops her head to nuzzle against his cheek. He blinks at the sudden ticklish hairs brushing his skin, and the contact drags him away from his thoughts.

His lips curve in a small smile as Lily does it again. Zero reaches out to scratch her neck and murmurs reassuringly, "I'm fine, Lily. It's just been a long week."

Her ears flick up, pointed towards him at his words, and she stubbornly leans down and nuzzles him again, clearly unconvinced by his words. He shakes his head in amusement and runs a hand over her smooth coat in slow, sure motions to reassure her.

As his hand idly continues to pet her, Zero breathes in deeply, trying to ignore the ache in his neck and lose himself in the mundane peace settling over the stables instead.

The minutes waltz by like this and Zero's mind slowly but surely blanks out.

Lily suddenly tenses under his hand and raises her head, ears flicking back. Zero blinks and turns his head to look behind her. A familiar voice rings out and complains, "There you are, idiot. Making me walk over campus to find you and here you are in the stables. Zero, it's rude to give me this much work. Don't you think I'm already working hard as a teacher?"

The wooden gate of the stall squeaks as it swings open. Kaito ambles in with a plastic bag in his hand before stopping. He eyes Lily whose tail flicks behind her with one hoof pawing at the dirt in annoyance. Kaito watches her for another moment before he asks warily, "She isn't going to kick me, is she?"

Zero rolls his eyes, hand reaching out to reassure Lily that it's fine, and says idly, "Probably not."

Kaito turns to look flatly at him and mutters dryly, "How reassuring. I can see why she gets along with only you."

He sighs and moves closer to Zero, walking carefully past Lily. To Zero's surprise, Kaito plops carelessly down next to him on the pile of hay.

"Kaito?"

Kaito only looks towards Lily, who with a toss of her mane, promptly moves away from them towards the back of the stall. He raises an eyebrow and comments, "She really doesn't like me, does she?"

Zero shrugs. "She does not like meeting new people."

Kaname sighs and leans back against the wooden side of the stall. He notes, "She really reminds me of you. Got your whole standoffish attitude down to a tee."

Zero scowls and reaches out to shove him in the shoulder. Kaito angles himself away and chuckles. "See?"

He leans down and rummages through the plastic bag at his feet. To Zero's surprise, Kaito snaps open a can and sips it without hesitation.

Zero stares at him before he says exasperated, "Is that beer? You do know you're a teacher now, right?"

Kaito returns the flat stare with an irritated look. "Of course, I do, you dolt. I confiscated these from some idiots in the dorms when I was looking for you."

Zero raises an eyebrow and says disbelievingly, "And now you're drinking them."

Kaito shrugs and says lazily, "Waste not, want not." He nods towards Zero and continues, "So what's wrong with you?"

Zero furrows his eyebrows at the sudden question and says slowly, "Nothing."

Kaito scoffs, "Bullshit. Try again."

Zero frowns and says defensively, "I said it was nothing. What's with the sudden question?"

Kaito takes another sip before he says impatiently, "Strike two. Try again. " He raises an eyebrow and says deliberately in a condescending voice, "Maybe you don't know this, but you don't win anything if you keep striking out. You know. The whole three strikes and you're out and all that shit?"

Zero glares at him and complains crossly, "Who the hell cares about your stupid strikes? I don't remember playing a game with you." He leans back and closes his eyes, trying to regain some of the peace from earlier before Kaito strolled in here. "I'm fine, so stop bothering me already."

Zero hears Kaito sigh, and seriously, the amount of exasperation in that sound is completely undeserved. He is about to retort when a foot swings into his leg. His eyes snap open, and Zero turns to glower at Kaito. "Stop kicking me, you jerk."

Kaito pretends not to hear him and takes another sip. "Strike three, Zero."

Zero stares, expression flattening at Kaito's stubbornness, before he shoves him in the shoulder in retribution. Kaito cusses aloud when the movement causes the beer to trickle down his hand and slosh on the ground. "Oi! I'm drinking here!"

Zero scoffs, "Serves you right. You shouldn't be drinking in the first place."

Zero's eyes narrow when he sees Kaito's lips lift in a smirk. He asks warily, "What?"

Kaito slowly sets the can down on the ground and drawls, "I see. You're not going to answer? I'll change tactics then."

"What do you by change of tac – Hey! Stop it! Get off me, you stupid asshole!" Zero grits out and shoves against the arm around his neck. Kaito only grins and squeezes tighter.

He says smugly, "Give in and I'll let you go. Stop being stub – Ow!" Kaito immediately lets go and rubs his shin with a pained grimace. He cusses aloud and narrows his eyes. "You little shit. Come back here!"

Zero leans away from the outstretched hand and retorts, "You deserve it, jackass. You – Stop kicking me!"

Kaito ducks his head and stops a stray fist, grumbling, "Stop punching me then, you dumbass."

Zero scowls and lifts a leg to kick him, and Kaito quickly leans to the side to dodge, leg sweeping out to kick Zero's other leg. Zero curses and stumbles down. Kaito takes advantage of the fall to wrap an arm around Zero's neck and the other securing Zero's arm as they both tumble down onto the ground.

Lily snorts loudly at the commotion, tail flicking in irritation before she leans down to drink from the trough again.

Zero tugs at his pinned arm and hisses, "Let go!"

Kaito merely presses his weight in more and comments, "You're so stubborn. Give in already."

"Yeah, right." Zero grits out before he complains, "You're too heavy, you asshole. Get the hell off me!"

Kaito hums and drawls, "I'm offended. Are you calling me fat?"

"Kaito!"

Kaito merely tightens his grip and looks down unsympathetically. "Give up."

"You stupid, idiotic, retarded jackass! You – Ow! Stop! Fine! I give up. Get off already!"

Kaito grins before he slowly disentangles himself as Zero shoots him a dirty look. Kaito says smugly, "Took you long enough."

Zero cusses darkly under his breath as he sits gingerly up. He roughly brushes off the stray hay clinging to his clothes. Damn it. The stupid bastard.

Kaito chuckles at Zero's disheveled appearance and plops back down on the pile of hair, uncaring of his equally messy hair or the smudges of dirt on his trousers either. He picks up the can and downs it before he asks idly, "Are you going to tell me now?"

Zero huffs in irritation before he stalks over to the pile of hay and sits back down roughly. He scowls and grouses, "Kaito, seriously. Nothing is wrong with me. The only thing bothering me right now is you."

Kaito turns and looks at him, and says unimpressed, "Are you finally going through puberty? Why are you so moody lately?" He pauses and smirks before adding, "Or at least more than usual anyways."

Zero frowns, foot kicking him neatly in the leg for that comment. He mutters, "You aren't the happiest person to be around either, asshole. Don't you have better things to do than annoy me?"

"No. I already did a shit ton of paperwork." Kaito leans back and continues, voice positively dripping with sarcasm, "All thanks to our wonderful sensei and chairman who were gone this whole week. It was great having to fill in for another class that I knew nothing about."

At that, Zero's lips twitch upwards and he snickers, "I heard your lesson on standing up to authority was pretty insightful."

Kaito glances at him exasperated and mutters, "Yeah, well, the other teachers did not feel that way. My students took real life application too seriously."

Zero shakes his head and chuckles. "You're such an idiot."

Kaito opens another can and drinks it before he comments dryly, "I don't want to be judged by the idiot who isolates himself with horses." Leaning away from another halfhearted shove from Zero, Kaito sighs and says more seriously, "You sure you're ok? You're not giving yourself existential crises, are you?"

Zero furrows his eyebrows and asks slowly, "How…the hell do you give yourself one?"

"By thinking too much." Kaito answers lazily before he continues more impatiently, "So? Don't make me repeat myself."

"It's noth-"

Kaito interrupts and warns, "Say nothing again and I'll hit you."

Zero bites his lips and stays silent. There is no way he can tell Kaito what is actually bothering him. Still, a pang of guilt runs through him because Kaito seems uncharacteristically concerned over this.

Kaito watches him for a moment and notes the troubled expression. He sighs and presses again, "I'll be here for as long as it takes. It's Saturday night and I have no plans. Unfortunately. I'm stuck babysitting the school." He gives Zero a sidelong glaze and adds lightly, "And you, by the looks of it."

Zero glances back at him and Kaito continues in an offhand tone, "Guess I'll play twenty questions with you, jackass. Is the seal bothering you?"

Zero blinks at the sudden question. "Seal?"

Kaito gestures towards his neck and explains, "The tattoo. You keep rubbing it lately."

Zero pauses, mind running through the possible excuses. Did he really keep touching it that much for Kaito to notice? He starts slowly, "It's fine. I just…have a rash."

He inwardly winces at the lame excuse, a feeling of deja-vu creeping in as he remembers the whole incident with the girls from before.

As predicted, Kaito looks at him utterly unconvinced and frowns. "A rash? That's your best excuse?"

He shakes his head. Seriously, if he was going to lie, at least put some effort into it. Kaito sighs. Zero is always so stubborn about things like this, keeping all of his problems bottled up inside.

He glances at Zero once more and decides to call Zero's bluff. Reaching out, he says, "Let me see."

To Kaito's surprise, Zero immediately flinches back at the outstretched hand and covers his neck. "Don't!"

Kaito stills at the reaction and warily pulls back his hand. Zero widens his eyes, already rebuking himself for the outburst. He says quickly, "Sorry. I…don't like it when people touch it."

Zero glances back at Kaito, inwardly wincing for his response, but Kaito only says easily, "Alright. I won't. Although, I am not convinced at all now." He gazes at Zero for a moment, eyes flicking to the tattoo, and asks with slight concern, "Does it hurt or something?"

Zero hesitates and says vaguely, "Not exactly. I just feel…off all week."

"Off?"

Zero pauses and struggles to explain himself, "Like…like the feeling you get when you lost something or forgot it and it nags at you."

Kaito stares blankly at him and comments, "If you're talking about your brain, I think we all lost that a long time ago."

Zero scowls and retorts, "I can tell from this stupid conversation I am having with you that you lost all your brain cells the day you were born."

Kaito takes another sip and only hums, "Not going to lie, this feels extremely existential." He looks dubiously down at the beer can and adds, "I'm not sure I'm drunk enough to have this conversation."

Zero nudges him in the shoulder and says defensively, "You asked, asshole."

Kaito cusses again as the can jerks and beer spills over his fingers. He mutters, "I'm kidding, geez. Is that all that's bothering you?"

"Yeah."

Kaito observes him for a moment before reaching out and flicking him in the forehead.

Zero immediately frowns, hand coming to rub his skin. "Stop hitting me. What the hell?"

Kaito gives him a pointed look and emphasizes, "Then tell me."

Zero wavers for a moment because Kaito does not look like he will let this go for some reason. He settles on giving a half-truth and blurts out, "I did something embarrassing, alright?"

It helps that the memories from last Saturday run through his mind again, and his cheeks redden a little at remembering. Kaito pauses at that, eyes flicking over the rare sight before a twinge of relief runs through him. So this is what was troubling Zero all week?

He raises an eyebrow and says with slight incredulity, "And it's still bothering you? How sensitive are you? Did you do it in front of your class, your crush or what?"

Zero immediately turns his head to the side, arms crossed over his chest, and protests hotly, "No!"

Kaito pauses again at the defensive edge to Zero's tone and looks questioningly at him. Did he somehow hit the bull's eye?

He idly dangles the beer can and offers lazily, "Just let it blow over and you'll forget it soon enough."

Zero rolls his eyes and says dryly, "Great advice, Kaito. I wonder why I never thought of that."

Kaito shrugs and grumbles, "Shut up. That's all I have to offer. Pretend to be enlightened."

Zero shakes his head and comments, "You would make the shittiest therapist ever."

Kaito finishes the can and crushes it in his hand. "Yeah, well, that's why I'm a hunter."

He leans down and reaches for another one as he continues more quietly, "You look better than the last time I saw you, Zero."

Zero blinks at the sudden change in tone, eyes snapping back to Kaito in bewilderment. Kaito traces the metal rim of the beer can absentmindedly and admits softly, "I'm glad, idiot. I was worried that you were going to do something stupid when….when Ichiru died."

Zero stills at the undercurrent of concern and genuine relief in Kaito's voice. He swallows.

Kaito sighs and opens the beer can. Zero's eyes flick uncertainly to him and sees the distant look on his face. His brown eyes are shadowed with a weariness that makes Zero thinks he must be remembering his own past for a moment.

Kaito takes another long swig before he adds, "We all were worried actually."

Zero bites his lips and looks away. The words slice through his skin, and dark guilt oozes out of the wounds. If…if Kaname did not stop him that night, what would have happened?

Zero swallows, eyes widening in horrified realization. He would….he would not have only hurt himself. He would have hurt the ones around him, leave back a permanent scar as a reminder of his actions.

How could have he been so selfish?

His fingers tremble at the thoughts, and Zero immediately clenches them tightly. It never registered to him then.

He swallows thickly. No. That's not true. It did, but the pain, the exhaustion had smothered everything. In that moment, all Zero could feel was the despair writhing deep in his gut, eating away at his bones, consuming his very soul.

He…did not think he had anything else.

And now, looking back on it, fear and regret almost chokes him as he realizes how easily things could have gone so, so wrong with that one decision.

Kaito frowns at the silence and turns his head to look at Zero. He narrows his eyes at the guilt scrawled over Zero's face, recognizes that familiar pained expression. His jaw clenches and he says sharply, "You didn't, did you?"

Zero visibly stiffens at his tone, and he immediately looks away again in silence.

Kaito tightens his grip on the beer can, the metal denting under his fingers with a creak. " _Zero_."

Zero swallows at the palpable tension roiling in the air. The heavy disapproval in Kaito's voice grates against him. He confesses quietly, voice no more than a whisper, "I was going to…to end everything that day."

The words linger in the air, achingly honest. Kaito exhales slowly. Zero winces in preparation, already expecting the harsh rebuke sure to come his way. To his surprise, a hand suddenly settles on top of his hair and ruffles it roughly. Zero blinks, wide eyes flicking to Kaito in confusion. "Kaito?"

Kaito's fingers only dig in deeper, and he does it again, breathing out, " _You idiot_."

Zero stays still and does not comment on how those fingers tremble ever so slightly. Kaito nudges his head gently, eyes solemn and lips quirked in a rueful half-smile as he murmurs lightly, "Thank god you didn't or we wouldn't be here having this fantastic conversation right now."

Zero watches him with wide eyes. Kaito raises an eyebrow and continues, hand dropping down to sling an arm roughly around Zero's neck, "You ever think of doing that again though and I won't hold back on my punch."

Zero has a small smile and notes, "Do you ever?"

Kaito chuckles and tightens his grip, "True. So don't you ever forget that."

Zero looks away and says quietly, "I won't."

"Good."

Zero lightly shoves at the arm and mumbles, "Ok. Let go already."

Kaito chuckles at Zero's predictable response and lazily drops the arm, although not without ruffling Zero's hair again, much to Zero's irritation. He notices the frown and says teasingly, "What? I'm fulfilling my job."

Zero shifts away from him, hands coming up to fix his hair, and mutters with no real bite, "As what? A jackass?"

Kaito lifts an eyebrow and grins. "You know, an older brother."

Surprise crosses Zero's features and Zero stills briefly before he bats away Kaito's hand from his hair again and complains, "You're getting sappy. It's freaking me out."

Kaito decides not to tease him anymore and pulls back. He leans down, hand digging into the bag again, and comments offhandedly, "I'm offended at that. Here."

Zero blinks at the sudden blur of metallic white and green towards him before his hands reflexively reach out and catch the thrown object. He stares down blankly at the beer can and frowns. "What do you want me to do with this? Can't you open it yourself?"

Kaito responds exasperated, "It's for you, idiot."

Zero raises an eyebrow and comments, "It's a crime to give alcohol to minors, you know."

Kaito's forehead creases and he snorts, "Who's going to tell on you? The horses? And besides, didn't I just say I bullshitted my way through the ethics class this week?"

Zero stares flatly at him and sighs. "You're so irresponsible."

"I resent that. What kind of teenager are you to refuse free alcohol on a weekend night?"

"One who isn't stupid," Zero retorts before surveying the beer can in his hands with another frown.

Kaito sips his own can before he looks over at Zero and says pointedly, "I'm not telling you to get shitfaced. It's not bad to unwind every now and then."

Zero only looks back disbelievingly at him and says slowly, "You just confiscated these from some students, and now you're offering them to me…another student."

Kaito shrugs and answers dismissively, "The world is full of hypocrites."

Zero furrows his eyebrows and asks, "Are you drunk?"

Kaito kicks him for that comment and counters, "No. This is just my everyday charming personality. Trust me, you'll know when I get drunk." He pauses and stares down at the beer can dubiously. "Which I don't plan to. It's not like these will do the trick."

Zero sighs before he decides what the hell? He pulls back the tab with a sharp click and mutters, "If anything goes wrong, I'm blaming you."

Kaito looks over at him with a smirk. "And I accept full responsibility. You want that in paper?"

Zero flips him the middle finger before taking a careful sip. He immediately cringes at the bitter taste and stares warily down at the beer, "This tastes like shit."

Kaito snickers at Zero's face scrunching up in clear dislike at the aftertaste. He comments, voice heavy with amusement, "You're such a little kid."

Zero glares at him and grouses, "Shut up. How the hell did you drink so much of this?"

Kaito says in a mock-lecturing tone, "In the adult world, we do things even if it sucks. You endure it. That's called maturity."

"That screams stupidity to me," Zero says dryly.

Kaito kicks him again and says good-naturedly, "Shut up and just drink, Zero."

* * *

"And that's why I'm banned from ever renting a boat again. The stupid bastards," Kaito finishes. He automatically reaches for another beer can, but his fingers clench on thin air. He blinks and looks over at the bag. Huh. They finished the pack.

He sighs and stretches against the wall of the stall. Time to head back then.

He furrows his eyebrows as he finally realizes that Zero has not said anything for a while. Kaito immediately glances over to his side and pauses at the sight. "Oi, seriously? Don't just fall asleep when I'm talking to you. It's rude."

Zero does not stir though, head tilted to the side as he continues to sleep, oblivious to the world, much to Kaito's increasing exasperation. Kaito sighs and reaches out to shake him. Zero murmurs indistinctly and turns away from Kaito's touch. Kaito frowns and says louder, "Zero! Wake up already! I'm not carrying your ass back to the dorms. Have a little sympathy for me, won't you?"

Zero grimaces and mumbles unintelligibly at the loud sound. He blinks open his eyes and stares dazedly at Kaito. Kaito sighs and stands up, offering a hand. "Hey, come on. We need to go back. It's already whatever the fuck it is right now."

Zero squints at the hand, hand clumsily coming up to grasp it. Kaito tugs him upright and lets go of him only to curse when Zero suddenly stumbles and collapses. Kaito widens his eyes, "Oi, you ok? You – Oi, don't go back to sleep like that, you idiot!"

Zero does not move and only curls up tighter, not caring that he's lying on the dirt, his eyelids already closed again. Kaito stares at him disbelievingly and notices the bright red flushing Zero's face. Is…Is Zero drunk?

How the hell is that even possible? The only can Zero drank was the one Kaito gave him….He thinks. The details are a little fuzzy now.

He picks up the plastic bag and counts the number of crushed cans. No, he's right. He was the one finished the pack.

Behind him, Lily suddenly snorts and presses her muzzle sharply against his back, shoving him forward. He stumbles half a step in surprise. Kaito had honestly forgotten that she was still there or even awake at that. He turns to glare back at Lily, who stomps a hoof down warningly, nostrils flaring.

Kaito scowls and mutters, "How the hell was I supposed to know he had such a low alcoholic tolerance? This is pathetic even for a first time drinker."

Lily snorts unhappily again and Kaito raises his hands up in submission. "Alright, alright! I got it. Geez. It's my fault! You happy?" He walks towards Zero and mutters under his breath, "Why the hell am I getting shit from a horse?"

He stops and stares down at Zero again before sighing. Kaito carefully leans down and after some fumbles and a number of tries, no thanks to Zero, he finally manages to position him on his back. He slowly straightens up and grumbles annoyed, "How on earth did you get drunk from one can of beer? Huh? How?"

The plastic bag slips down his arm, and Kaito mutters a few choice words as he tries to pull it back without letting Zero slip off his back. His fingers brush over an odd bump in the pocket of his trench coat and Kaito pauses. He tightens one arm under Zero's knees to keep him in place as he digs in the pocket with the other hand.

He pulls out a rolled up beige folder and cusses aloud. Shit. He forgot to leave this in Cross's office.

Kaito frowns and thinks for a moment. It's too much work to make it to the main building from the stables. He'll just drop it at Cross's residence instead. That way, he can drop Zero at the dorms and go to his room at the teachers' residence more easily.

Kaito nods to himself and shoves the folder back into his pocket. He readjusts his arms and strides out of the stall.

He suddenly stops in his tracks as a thought strikes him. Isn't Cross and Yagari coming back tonight?

He glances outside and sees the bright moon glowing softly in the deep violet night sky. Damn. He can't tell. What time is it right now?

His gaze slides back to the silver hair pillowed on his shoulder and groans. Oh, man, sensei is going to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yes, I know canon-wise that bullets don't affect humans, but that doesn't make sense to me because something that pierces through a vampire has to affect a human. Even rubber bullets can cause fatal injuries in real life...Not that this is real life and I don't really know why I'm applying logic to anime lol, but...hey, welcome to my mind.
> 
> But hey! That plot twist with Ogata tho, huh? Er, hopefully you guys were shocked by that. Will he be mentioned in more chapters?...Not really. He'll mostly be a mad scientist behind the scenes. He's really a minor character. Takenaka, on the hand, you will see more of. I tried to give you a little glimpse in his motives and character.
> 
> Rido came out a lot in this chapter. I was surprised actually because I did not plan to. Writing for Rido is just so fun! Pfft, I shouldn't like my antagonist this much, but I just do. I tried to give his character a bit more dimension in this, so hopefully that came across when you guys read his scenes. Although, honestly, I'm not even sure if he is even in character anymore. I'm just going by the image in my head lol.
> 
> And if that scene with Kaito at the end did not make you aww, then...I am going to have be a better writer because that I am really happy with that scene actually lol. I really wanted to show a brotherly sort of interaction between Kaito and Zero. And White Lily is just awesome.


	8. The Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter 8: The Calm Before the Storm**

"I'm finished!"

The clink of china on the table, along with Cross's annoyingly cheerful voice, immediately jolts Yagari from his impromptu nap. He stares blankly at Cross, taking in the expectant gaze and excited smile.

Honestly, Yagari finds it almost offensive that Cross can still be this energetic when he himself is one step away from collapsing from pure exhaustion.

Yagari sighs and looks blearily down at the plate in front of him. He frowns. "What the hell is this?"

Cross hums as he slides in the chair across from Yagari and answers flippantly, "Dinner, of course."

Yagari shakes his head and yawns, eyelids still heavy with the lingering drowsiness.

God, he feels like shit. All he wants to do is collapse into a bed and conk out for the rest of the day, night, whatever the hell it is right now. This entire week did nothing to ease his sleep deprivation, and damn it, one of these days, someone better compensate him for all the hours of sleep he lost cleaning up after someone else's mess.

He sighs and closes his eye, grumbling tiredly, "Eat it yourself. I'm not hungry."

Cross furrows his eyebrows at Yagari's answer and rebukes, "We haven't eaten anything, actually. Eat at least a bite before you sleep."

Still not opening his eye, Yagari only settles comfortably back in the chair and crosses his arms as he starts to nod off.

Cross smirks, cheek pressed against his cheek as he not so accidentally swings his leg into Yagari's foot.

Yagari growls, eye snapping open in irritation. He demands, "Did you just kick me?"

Cross shrugs his shoulders and says innocently, though the mischievous gleam in his eyes tells otherwise, "I have no idea what you are talking about. Were you dreaming? It's rude to sleep in the middle of a conversation." He gestures to the plates again and says cheerfully, "But now that you are awake though, why don't you – Ow!"

Cross winces, hand rubbing his shin, and complains indignantly, "How could you kick the chef so heartlessly!"

Unamused, Yagari raises an eyebrow and says flatly, "I have no idea what you are talking about either. Are you imagining things? Do I need to call for the mental asylum to pick you up?"

Cross pouts slightly at his words parroted back at him before he deliberately laments in a greatly theatrical tone, one arm outstretched in front of him, "How cruel! Heartless! I present to you the product of my amazing artistry, and you don't even bother to taste it!"

He shakes his head in mock disapproval and continues in a completely affronted – Yagrari thinks undeserved because who woke up who here? – tone, "No one likes heartless critics. This is why you lack people skills."

"Since when was food poisoning considered artistry? I don't remember any great artists trying to assassinate the taste buds of the people around them."

Yagari scowls, blue eye glaring at Cross, and adds crossly, "And I may lack people skills, but you lack a functional brain and working taste buds. Between the two of us, I think I'm fine with the way I am."

"My taste buds are perfectly fine!" Gesturing carelessly in the air, Cross continues dismissively, "You simply do not appreciate the more…complicated flavors of cuisine."

Yagari scoffs and nods jerkily towards the plate. "What the hell did you even conjure up in the kitchen this time?"

Cross raises an eyebrow and answers in a patronizing tone that has Yagari's eye twitching, "It's fried rice, of course."

"Don't 'of course' me! Why the hell is your fried rice so orange?"

Cross shrugs his shoulders and answers cheerfully, "I tried a different seasoning." He reaches across and pushes the plate closer to Yagari. Grinning again, he encourages, voice coaxing and bright, "Why don't you go on and try it?"

"No."

Cross frowns and complains, "But if you don't try it, how will I know if the seasoning is good or not? Do it for the greater good!"

Yagari's expression further flattens in exasperation and he demands, "What greater good? Huh? Why should I sacrifice my stomach for your nonexistent culinary skills?"

"You keep complaining about my cooking skills, but you do nothing to help me improve it! Practice makes perfect, you know."

"Not for you, it doesn't." Yagari retorts and continues crossly, "You can't cook. Accept it already, you idiot."

Cross narrows his eyes, lips pursing, and says unhappily, "I'm starting to question our friendship."

Yagari raises an eyebrow and says sarcastically, "Oh, you're just starting now? I do it every day."

"Toga!"

Yagari tsks under his breath and says firmly, "I'm not eating this." He glances over the clock and groans, "It's already midnight for god's sakes. We either discuss the shit that happened this week. Or you eat and let me sleep instead. Choose one or the other."

To Yagari's exasperation, Cross only offers, voice determined and hazel eyes gleaming in challenge, "Consider it a trust exercise."

"If I wasn't reluctant before, I definitely am now." Yagari mutters before he continues, voice sharp with disbelief, "Why is eating now a trust exercise?"

Cross hums and reaches for the spoon. "Look. I'll go first." He deliberately scoops up a decently sized spoonful of rise and brings it to his lips. Cross chews and nods to himself before swallowing, "See? It tastes fi-" He stops abruptly and Yagari watches bewilderedly as Cross's eyes widen.

Cross sticks out his tongue and frantically fans himself, panting out, "Wa-water! Water!"

Yagari has to pause and stare at him incredulously. He can't understand how Cross's mind works. None whatsoever. And, shouldn't there be a limit to the insanity that he has to put up with from the man every day?

Because there certainly is a limit to his patience, and it has damn well been reached.

Yagari scowls and grits out, " _You idiot_."

He immediately stands up and stalks off to the kitchen, cursing under his breath. If the food does not kill Cross, he might just finish the job because for Pete's sake, why? Why does he have to deal with this?

Yagari slams both the glass cup and the pitcher of water on the table with more force than needed, the water sloshing carelessly down the sides and pooling on the table. He says shortly, "Here."

Cross immediately grabs it and practically downs the cup in one single gulp. He pants a few more times before he says weakly, voice barely above a rasp. "Maybe I shouldn't have added the peppers."

Yagari sighs in exasperation and grouses, "No shit. You - " He pauses, eye widening at Cross, who for some godforsaken reason shovels another spoonful of rice into his mouth. "Why are you still eating it?!"

Cross quickly swallows the mouthful and downs another glass of water before he manages out hoarsely, "It's bad to waste food. And, I'm still hungry."

Yagari stares at him incredulously before he scowls and wrenches away the plate.

"Wait!"

Cross widens his eyes and reaches out to grab it back, but Yagari kicks him neatly in the legs.

Ignoring Cross's pain and cries of how unreasonable he is being, Yagari turns back to the kitchen and says sourly, "I'm going to make us sandwiches. Try not to give me more of a migraine than you already are in the meantime."

* * *

"Tea?" Cross calls out as the kettle begins to shriek as the white vapor spurts out of the spout. He waits a few more moments before he turns the stove off, the shrill whistle quickly trailing off in the air.

Yagari raises an eyebrow as he clears the table, stacking the two plates together in his hand and balancing the cups on top. "No. Aren't you going to sleep after this?"

He sighs and grimaces when he glances at the clock. It's two in the morning already and they still haven't discussed anything yet. He scowls. More importantly, he _still_ has not slept yet.

Yagari frowns as he looks discreetly towards the kitchen. Cross isn't trying to avoid the topic, is he?

Cross, still facing the stove, only hums, "I am. It's chamomile tea."

Yagari's voice gets louder as he approaches the kitchen and heads towards the sink. "I still don't want tea."

Cross glances at him and shrugs. He comments idly, "If you say so."

He wraps a hand towel around the handle of the kettle, the heat flaring hot but bearable under his hand. Cross carefully lifts the kettle and slowly pours the hot liquid down into the clear tea cup. He watches the water slip down the smooth surface of the cup and stream over the thin white tea bag.

The sweet and gentle smell wafts up as thin wisps of vapor curl in the air. Cross sighs, soothed by both the smell and the calming routine itself. However, his mind wanders back to the events of this week and his short-lived peace fades.

His skin itches, and the dark forbidding feeling sinks down into his bones. He can feel the familiar violence and chaos thundering in the distance as dark and ominous as the heavy rain clouds in the sky.

The calm before the storm.

Cross sighs again, this time in weariness, as he waits for the liquid to darken to a golden yellow before lifting up the tea bag. With careful fingers, he slowly carries the cup over to the dining table.

Yagari is already sitting back into his chair, eye closed again and cigarette dangling from his lips.

Cross furrows his eyebrows at the bitter tang of smoke, but for once, does not comment. It has been a long week, and he can see the pent up frustration and stress slowly dissolving off Yagari.

Yagari exhales slowly and lazily watches the smoke twist and fade up into the ceiling in a cloud of gray white. It reminds him of the sky this entire week.

His eyes flick back to Cross and he watches Cross take a careful sip of the tea. Yagari lets the easy slow silence carry on for a few moments before he asks gruffly, "So what are we going to do?"

Yagari can see the flicker of recognition in Cross's eyes, but Cross says lightly regardless, "What do you mean?"

Yagari frowns and flicks the ash on the ashtray. "The association, Cross. Don't make me repeat it."

Cross sips the tea and remarks, "They are rather busy, aren't they? That shipment we intercepted contained only weapons, and headquarters seems to be under lockdown." He sighs, thumb brushing over the cup's handle. "And then, there is the incident last night."

Yagari glances at him and frowns at Cross's roundabout answer. He has enough of this dawdling. They need to come to a decision before things completely spiral out of their hands.

He needs his damn sleep already.

Yagari says curtly, "Don't tell me things I already know. I was with you this entire week."

Cross makes a noncommittal sound and gazes down at his tea before murmuring offhandedly, "What do you think about the recent expansion of the research division?"

Yagari furrows his eyebrows – Research division? - and asks exasperated, "What do you mean? I never trusted those lab rats in the first place, and that hasn't changed." He exhales another long plume of smoke and gives him a sidelong glance. "Cross, you're still not focused on those Level E's, are you?"

Cross sets down the cup and stares at him, hazel eyes grave for once as he says seriously, "We need to find out what the research division is doing."

Yagari frowns and criticizes sharply, "Why are you still so focused on that? You dragged me all over the place, visiting the towns that had outbreaks recently. We found nothing."

His blue eye gleams sharply as his voice darkens with frustration, "And that investigation can wait. You heard the phone call this morning. The deaths of those two hunters and that noble has everyone raving mad."

Cross glances at him warily at his rising anger, but persists, "Did the Level E's act any….different when you and Kaito were on that month long mission from before?"

Yagari's jaw clenches in annoyance, but Cross still looks frustratingly determined and he answers reluctantly, "What do you mean by different? They were trying to attack the town. The same sort of shit that-"

He pauses suddenly as his mind fingers the memories from that mission again. It was not so much…different as there were some things that his mind catalogued as a bit odd.

Cross raises an eyebrow and presses, "That what?"

Yagari sighs and grudgingly throws out, "They seemed more bloodthirsty than usual."

"More?"

He frowns and shakes off the ash once more before continuing, "Kaito mentioned that he found a dead livestock and rabbits in the woods nearby. I thought it was because we corralled them away from the village, but they may been just that ravenous, killing whatever had blood. They were even attacking each other."

He sucks the cigarette again before exhaling. Yagari shrugs and adds, "They had slower reflexes too, probably because of the bloodthirst. It was easier to kill them in any case."

He raises an eyebrow and asks impatiently, "Satisfied?"

Cross's forehead creases in contemplation as he says slowly, "I see…Remember the shattered glass vials we found by one of the clearings?"

Yagari blinks at the sudden question and asks warily, "What about them?"

"I suspect that the association has been experimenting with the Level E's, or at the very least, manipulating them in some way," Cross' expression darkens and he continues gravely, "They may have been involved with the deaths last night as well."

Yagari pauses and holds the cigarette between his index and middle finger as he takes in Cross's words. Experimenting?

Cross surveys him, not missing the skeptical expression, and adds, "You remember when these outbreaks occurred, don't you? All of the senior hunters were called away and-"

"And when we came back, we suddenly had a new president." Yagari snorts and states derisively, "I told you everything seemed too coincidental."

He leans back in the chair and brings the cigarette back up to his lips. Yagari exhales and says finally, "I still think you're overreaching, Cross. Those glass fragments could be from a broken beer bottle for all we know."

When Cross opens his mouth to argue, Yagari gives him a pointed look and continues, "Even if they are experimenting, how does that relate to the incident last night? No Level E's were involved."

Cross frowns and stays silent. Yagari frowns and adds grimly, "Honestly, with all the recent quarrels between us and the vampires, it's a wonder that we didn't have casualties sooner." He narrows his eye and says darkly, "We don't know who provoked who yet and both sides are already crying foul."

"Did you know the hunters?"

Yagari pauses at the abrupt question. He frowns and answers gruffly, "I knew one of them. Asano. He wasn't especially high in the ranks, and only joined the association for about two years. Kid had a good head on his shoulders." He shrugs and adds, "His mentor always complained to me that the kid was too mellow actually."

"Not the type to start a fight then," Cross says, keeping his voice light, but there is a pointed edge to his words that makes Yagari glance at him curiously.

"He wasn't one of those hot blooded idiots that the new president keeps on recruiting, if that's what you mean."

Cross gives him a sidelong glance and remarks, "The noble who died seemed to be a proponent of co-existence."

At that, Yagari finally narrows his eyes in understanding and counters, "And maybe he wasn't for that one night."

Cross frowns and argues, "You don't kno - "

"We don't have time to be chasing ghosts!" Yagari interrupts sharply. He continues harshly, tone frustrated and irritated, "All you have are some glass shards, a pile of dust, and two dead hunters! I'm not saying that the association is innocent, but it's going to cost you a miracle to savage any evidence from any of that."

Cross pauses, eyes roving over the hardened expression on Yagari's face. He asks warily, "And what do you think we should do?"

At that, Yagari's eye gleams coldly. It reminds Cross of ice blue steel and his next words are just as lethal and unyielding, "Overthrow Takenaka and the bastards that follow him."

Cross stills at the ominous hint in Yagari's tone and asks quietly, a hint of stark disapproval in his voice, "A coup? You want to cause an uproar in the association at this time?"

Yagari's expression tightens and he answers tersely, "If that's what it takes."

Cross frowns and surveys him carefully. He reminds, "You might start civil war."

Yagari scowls and asks challengingly, "And as opposed to what is happening right now, you think that is the worst case scenario? Or do you want to avoid fighting regardless? The worst has yet to come, Cross, and we're going to be burying more dead bodies if we don't do anything now."

Cross furrows his eyebrows, but before he can argue, Yagari suddenly sighs, the harsh determination disappearing in favor of a weariness that carves its way into his face. He says quietly, "A friend called again when we were leaving the car today."

Cross pauses, eyes flicking back to Yagari in surprise at the shift in tone. "What did they say?"

Yagari frowns heavily and recounts, "Another patrol group and two vampires were also found dead. They don't know yet what status the vampires are nor do they do know what exactly happened. Another vampire also attacked three civilians as well at sundown. Right outside a bar. Apparently she was crazed with bloodthirst or something, and a hunter had to put her down." He shakes his head and comments, "We're going to have a field day trying to conceal that one."

Cross widens his eyes in alarm and asks, "All today?"

Yagari nods grimly. He takes another long drag of the cigarette and Cross settles back in silence with a pensive frown.

After a few moments, Yagari says brusquely, "You get it now, don't you? Takenaka is not going to back down. This is the blank check he's been coveting. You know the rhetoric going on in headquarters yet?"

He scoffs and continues derisively, "Takenaka is declaring that this is the time to make a stand against the vampires once and for all. He's saying that recent events have revealed the true face of the vampires and hunters need to stop settling for half-assed compromises."

Cross drinks the rest of his tea before he murmurs, "Propaganda already? The new president is certainly ambitious."

Yagari snorts. "Who knows how long he's been planning this crap?" His voice deepens in irritation as he continues, "Many hunters who were initially wary of Takenaka are now all gung ho for him. The idiots may still not like him, but they sure as hell agree with his plans."

Cross shakes his head and remarks wearily, "Of course. All he has to do is mention how many hunters have died, and the number of supporters increase."

Yagari looks sharply to Cross and his voice hardens, "We need to deal with Takenaka. _Now_."

Cross stays silent and Yagari thinks for a moment that he may have to yell at the man again for stubbornly sticking to his pacifist ideals when Cross's eyes suddenly gleam, golden amber blazing in those hazel irises.

Cross's features sharpen, hawk-like and shrewd, as he asserts calmly, "We need to find out what is causing all of these incidents and what the association has been researching first." He continues resolutely before Yagari can argue, "There will be more casualties in the following days and we need to prevent a mass panic. As for Takenaka, about how many hunters would be willing to turn against him?"

"Thirty to forty percent."

Cross observes, "That is not enough people. Takenaka and his men are skilled. In fact, he knows that not everyone is supportive of him. That man most likely already has a countermeasure in place."

Yagari taps the ash off and shrugs, "What do you want me to say? People are getting more pissed off as the days go by and the more they get pissed, the more of what Takenaka says makes sense."

Cross contemplates for a moment before he decides, "We need to stall for time. Do we have enough hunters we can trust?"

Yagari raises an eyebrow. "Depends on what you want to do."

"If we can expose Takenaka, the less bloodshed is needed to oust him from his position. We'll leave an anonymous tip about suspicious shipments and let the local police intercept their supplies. It will distract Takenaka for a bit." He pauses and sighs. "We'll leak the rumor about Kawada as the one who blew up the warehouse as well to incite suspicions."

Yagari glances at Cross and drawls, "And let me guess, you want someone to infiltrate the research division?"

"Yes."

Satisfied with Cross's assertiveness now, Yagari nods and reveals grimly, "I got word that a research assistant was found drained of blood in an alley." He looks meaningfully at Cross and warns, "The vampires might be more involved in this than you think. We need to know what they are up to as well."

Displeased at the news, Cross frowns heavily and says finally, "I'll have a word with Kaname-kun." He pauses and his expression becomes pained when he says quietly, "Although even if we do manage to get the association under control, if this many casualties continue, then -"

"Then it won't matter what we do then because we'll be at war with the vampires again." Yagari finishes. He jabs the cigarette down into the ash tray and growls, "How the hell did things even turn out this way?"

Cross smiles wearily as he gazes down at the tea. "The karma passed down through the years, I suppose. Every action has its consequence after all."

Yagari scoffs and comments dryly, "That's your stomach talking from the side effects of your cooking. This is not karma. It's an oversupply of bastards and idiots."

Before Cross can answer, a sudden thud at the door makes them both tense. Something metal clatters noisily outside the door, and a familiar voice echoes through the wooden frame with clear annoyance. "God fucking damn it, why can't this fucking door just open? Huh? Why is a door giving me shit?"

Cross furrows his eyebrows and exchanges a bewildered look with Yagari. "Is that Kaito-kun?"

Yagari sighs before he gets up and strides towards the door, grumbling under his breath about asinine brats for students bothering their mentors at this godforsaken hour in the night. Cross follows him curiously as Kaito curses again and complains loudly through the door, "Zero, it wouldn't hurt to be awake right now, you know. I don't have enough hands to keep you up and open the door. Tch. Or just go back to sleep like that. Yeah, that works too. Great."

Yagari scowls and jerks open the door, much to Kaito's surprise. He furrows his eyebrows at the switchblade in Kaito's hand and asks with disbelief, "Are you picking the lock?"

Kaito blinks and says, "Ah, shit, you're already back." He stops, eyes widening briefly in realization, and quickly revises, "I mean, er, welcome back, sensei and uh," He looks behind Yagari and adds, "Chairman. How was th -? "

"What's wrong with Zero?" Yagari demands sharply as he finally sees how Zero is carried on Kaito's back, eyes closed and seemingly unconscious. Immediate alarm and concern runs through him and he looks towards Kaito warily for an answer.

Kaito frowns as he readjusts Zero. Pausing at Yagari's question, he shrugs dismissively. "He fell asleep."

Yagari raises an eyebrow, unconvinced, even more so when he sees a look of discomfort cross Kaito's features under his heavy, scrutinizing glare. "Asleep? Where did he fall asleep that you have to carry him back all this way?"

Cross peers at Zero and observes in growing concern, "His face looks red, Kaito-kun. Is he sick?"

At that, Yagari frowns and looks towards Zero again whose cheeks look flushed and feverish. He reflexively steps forward and reaches out to feel Zero's forehead gently.

Kaito glances at him out of the corner of his eye and inwardly groans. Oh, sensei is definitely going to kill him.

Zero immediately scrunches his face at the touch and turns away to bury his face into Kaito's shoulder. "Mnn."

Yagari notes with relief that the skin does not feel as warm as it looks, but there is a familiar scent clinging to these two that he can now recognize. He narrows his eyes and says curtly, "Kaito."

Kaito's gaze slides to him and he asks warily, "Yeah?"

Yagari growls, "Why do I smell alcohol?"

Kaito clears his throat and comments all the while shifting discreetly away from him, "I have no idea what you're talking about. You must be sleep deprived from your one week trip, sensei."

Yagari stares flatly at him before he scowls and slaps Kaito at the back of the head.

"Hey!"

Kaito turns, eyes widening in indignation, and yelps again when Yagari reaches out to hit him once more, demanding angrily, "You idiot! Did you get Zero drunk?"

Relieved that there is nothing wrong with Zero, Cross's lips twitch in amusement at the scene and comments lightly, "Kaito-kun, how about you come in and let Kiryu-kun rest on the sofa?"

Kaito ducks his head to dodge another hit and curses again when Zero starts slipping off his back with the abrupt movement. He leans back away from Yagari and glares at him, grumbling, "Yeah, sensei, are you going to let me do that? Or are you just going to keep hitting the rest of my brain cells away?"

"Did you _have_ any in the first place?" Yagari retorts sharply, but he steps aside to let Kaito step through the doorway despite his words.

Kaito mutters some few choice words as he walks into the living room and carefully drops Zero down on the sofa. Zero suddenly mumbles something indistinctly in irritation, and everyone pauses, eyes flicking to him.

Zero does not wake though and instead turns away from all of them to face the sofa, his legs curling up automatically as he falls right back into drunken sleep.

Kaito stares down at him blankly. Is there such a thing as a sleepy drunk? Seriously, what is this?

Yagari glances at Zero before frowning again. He rebukes harshly, "If you want to be a brainless idiot, then go ahead. Don't drag Zero into your stupidity, Kaito."

Kaito turns and glares back at him. "I'm offended and insulted by that."

"Those two words mean the same thing!"

Kaito pauses and says wonderingly, "Huh. I think I may be slightly buzzed."

At Yagari's darkening expression, he immediately holds two hands up and starts backtracking to the kitchen. Cross shakes his head as the two argue. He reaches for a nearby blanket folded on top of the sofa. He unfurls it and gently lays it across Zero, who immediately nestles into the soft fabric.

Cross grins at that. It's been a long time since he has seen Zero this peaceful again. It reminds him of Zero when he was younger, and the memories make him sigh wistfully. Time really flies by when he least expects it to.

A sudden crash disrupts his nostalgic reverie and Cross quickly heads towards the kitchen in alarm.

Yagari reaches out to yank Kaito back by the collar as Kaito tries to unsuccessfully evade him. He berates, voice sharp with incredulity and irritation, "I cannot believe you did this! You're a teacher now. Remember that thing called responsibility? And you gave Zero alcohol?"

Kaito struggles and twists out of his grip to retort, "Stop hitting me! Why do you keep blaming me? I didn't force Zero to drink."

Yagari raises an unimpressed eyebrow and says flatly, "No, but I bet you encouraged him to." He narrows his eyes and says exasperated, "Damn it, Kaito, you're older than him. You're supposed to keep him from doing stupid things and not the other way around!"

Kaito slips around the counter and grumbles, hand coming up to rub his neck, "Stop lecturing me as if I broke into the liquor cabinet or something and got shitfaced." He smirks and drawls, "Sensei, where is this protective parent act coming from?"

"You little - "

Kaito quickly ducks down and Cross watches a bowl tumble down to the ground from the counter, clattering loudly before finally rolling to a stop against the bottom cabinet.

Cross shakes his head and leans against the doorway, a bemused smile on his lips.

Kaito pauses in front of the stove and peers curiously at the fried rice in the pan. "Is this edible?"

At that, Cross glances at him to see before grinning. Waving a hand, he encourages enthusiastically, "Go ahead, Kaito-kun! Try it, try it!"

Yagari immediately furrows his eyebrows and shoots Cross an incredulous look. Kaito does not notice and shrugs. He fishes for a spoon in the drawers and scoops up a spoonful, much to Cross's anticipation and Yagari's exasperation.

They watch as Kaito chews for a minute before immediately stopping and rushing to the trashcan. He spits it out and coughs. "Oh god, why is that so spicy?"

Yagari sighs and hands him a glass of water he already had ready. Kaito grabs it immediately and gladly chugs it down.

Two in the morning, and he has to deal with an intoxicated idiot in the kitchen. Oh, for god's sakes.

Cross, on the other hand, complains, "Be more specific, Kaito-kun! What exactly about the seasoning is too spicy?"

Make that two idiots.

Kaito does not notice Yagari's growing irritation and states bluntly, "Everything. And chairman, why are you using me as an unsuspecting guinea pig for your death trials? Don't you have sensei for that?"

Yagari scowls and smacks him in the head again for that. Kaito glares at him and rubs the back of his head as Yagari says even more exasperated, "Cross, I told you to give up on cooking already."

Cross comically widens his eyes and protests, "Toga, that is unnecessarily cruel of you, isn't it? How can you tell someone to give up on their hobby, their love and passion, so easily?"

Yagari's eye twitches and he grits out, "It's because your said hobby threatens to land us all in the hospital with food poisoning! How many times do I have to tell you!?"

"I agree with sensei."

Yagari glances back at him and grouses, "I'm not done chewing you out, smartass."

Kaito frowns and protests, "Aren't you overreacting? You know, drinking is considered a rite of passage."

"The way you're doing it is a rite of stupidity."

Kaito scowls and says annoyed, "He only drank one can of beer! I just wanted him to relax. He seemed stressed all week. And besides, he needs to be more - more…."

Kaito stops and snaps his fingers as he struggles to remember the word. He finally manages out, "Reckless or….whatever normal teens are supposed to be."

Yagari raises an eyebrow and comments dryly, "You're drunk, aren't you? You – He got drunk from _one_ can?" Taken aback, he pauses, eyes flicking towards Zero's direction in surprise. "How?"

Kaito nods and agrees, "Right?"

Cross blinks at the both of them before he quips, "Some people are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol."

Kaito shrugs and sidles up to the counter again. He lifts up a covered plate curiously. "Is this sandwich safe to eat?"

Yagari sighs and says idly, "It should be. I made it."

Cross frowns. "I am offended by that. Are you implying that _my_ food is not safe to eat?"

"What do you mean by implying? I've been telling it straight to your face for the past five minutes! Years even! Are you not listening to me or just choosing to ignore it?"

"I – Um, Kaito-kun? Oh, Kaito-kun? What exactly are you doing?"

At Cross's nervous tone, Yagari glances back at Kaito…who is gripping a kitchen knife by the handle and pointing it straight down right above the sandwich. He frowns – god, it's just one idiot to the next - and comments warily, "Are you trying to cut the sandwich or murder it?"

Kaito raises an eyebrow, puzzled at their varying expressions of wariness, and says irritated as he waves the knife to enunciate his words, "What are you talking about? It's fine."

"Nothing about this scene is fine, dumbass."

Cross clears his throat anxiously, carefully eyeing the knife as he says soothingly, "Why don't you put the knife down? Ok, Kaito-kun? I can cut it for you."

Yagari adds sternly, "Put it down before you stab yourself, idiot."

Kaito frowns and gestures sharply with the knife once more, much to Cross's and Yagari's growing uneasiness. "I'm not appreciating these nicknames you have for me, sensei. Both of you guys calm down. Geez. I can hold a knife alright? I - "

He pauses and everyone stills as the knife flies from Kaito's hand straight into one of the wooden cabinets with a dull thwack, the blade deeply embedded into the wood.

Yagari and Cross both blink as Kaito cusses, "Ah, shit."

Cross laughs nervously as he inches forward. "Ok, Kaito-kun. Why don't you um, sit down? Preferably without stabbing more things?"

Yagari scowls as he stalks over. Ignoring Kaito's curses, he forcibly moves him towards the dining table. "You stupid idiot!"

"Sensei, that's redundant."

* * *

Kaname frowns as he stares out the window unseeingly. His mind systematically goes through the implications, the scenarios once more before his expression tightens.

He needs a plan, a strategy. To think that they already have people dead already….

His neck throbs insistently once more as if in petulant reminder and he all but represses an annoyed growl.

Nothing this week has been going well. And to deal with the matter of the bond on top of all the negotiating he still has to do….Kaname can already feel his temples aching dully at the building headache.

He should have been more meticulous in approaching this matter. It does not feel like him to fumble at the last minute to think of a solution, a last desperate maneuver.

He does not like being pressed into a corner, and it is not a feeling he cares to be familiar with.

Kaname frowns. Why is he so distracted lately?

Seiren glances back in the rearview mirror and exchanges a concerned look with Takuma as they both can feel the tension radiating from Kaname in the car.

Takuma furrows his eyebrows, but refrains from saying anything as he takes in the pensive look drawn on Kaname's face.

The academy soon comes into view and the gates swing open to let the car enter. Kaname says suddenly, "Seiren, drop me off at the headmaster's residence."

Seiren glances at him through the rearview mirror, a slight frown on her face, and Kaname raises an eyebrow. He asks, voice sharper than intended, "Is there something wrong?"

Takuma immediately frowns in reproach at his tone and observes, "It is already rather late. Wouldn't it be better if you go tomorrow?"

Kaname frowns and answers, voice tinged with irritation, "We do not have time to waste, Takuma."

Takuma glances at him, not missing the clear frustration roiling off Kaname nor the worn out expression in his eyes. Kaname is in no shape to be deliberating over strategies and plans.

He sighs and says firmly but gently, "Kaname, you're exhausted. Go and talk to the chairman tomorrow."

Seiren continues driving and comments calmly, "I agree, Kaname-sama. You are overworking yourself."

At the pressure of both their concerned and disagreeing gazes, Kaname frowns and pauses.

He idly rubs his neck, frowns again at the persistent throb, and murmurs, "I am fine. I need to discuss this as soon as possible."

Takuma says disapprovingly, "Kaname, you haven't slept in - "

"Seiren, please," Kaname sighs before glancing at Takuma in silent apology. Takuma shakes his head in exasperation and frowns in silence.

Seiren nods and says in a slightly weary tone, "Of course, Kaname-sama."

* * *

Kaname winces as the throb in his neck practically writhes under his skin, red hot and aching. He exhales shortly and his fingers twitch restlessly.

He is more than fed up with this. He does not need the annoying aspects of the bond to distract him right now.

Why is the bond so reactive now? Why?

Kaname grimaces as he takes a moment to recompose himself. He steps up to the door, raising his hand to knock when the door unexpectedly opens with the touch. He furrows his eyebrows in concern, but the familiar sounds of the chairman arguing with Yagari and Takamiya reach his ears. He pauses and steps warily in. "Chairman?"

There is a pause before Cross calls out in surprise, "Ah, Kaname-kun? Is that you? Could you wait in the living room for a moment?"

He raises an eyebrow as the argument resumes again and something metal clangs noisily down on the tiled floor. What exactly is happening over there?

Kaname mentally shrugs and continues on with disinterest. Things are never exactly…peaceful when the chairman is involved anyhow.

He makes his way into the living room before stopping abruptly in his tracks. His eyes widen and immediately rove over the sofa. There is a body-shaped lump lying there against the cushions, wrapped in a light green blanket and turned away from him. What catches his attention though are the silver strands of hair peeking from the blanket.

Zero?

He furrows his eyebrows and steps closer to note with surprise, that it is indeed Zero.

What is he doing here?

Kaname's eyes quickly flick to Zero again in concern, his mind already racing through the possible scenarios that could have brought Zero to the chairman's residence at this hour. None of them are good.

He frowns, but pauses when he finally notices the flushed cheeks, the faint scent of alcohol.

Kaname blinks and stares down in bewilderment. Is…Is Zero inebriated?

He does not even stop to think as Kaname reflexively leans down and shakes Zero's arm gently. "Zero? Are you alright?"

It takes several minutes and another few shakes before Zero murmurs indistinctly at his touch and blearily opens his eyes. He blinks dazedly as he tries to make out the blurry figure standing above him. Zero rubs his eyes and mumbles, voice half-slurred and drowsy, "Kan'me?"

Kaname pauses, not missing the slurred words, and asks wonderingly, "Did you drink too much, Zero? You -"

He stops abruptly as Zero suddenly sits up and tilts his head to the side to survey him with half-open eyes. Kaname furrows his eyebrows and questions, "Is there something wro-?"

Kaname blinks in confusion as Zero's fingers suddenly grasp his sleeve and yank. He lets himself be pulled down, back hitting the pillows behind him as he bewilderedly takes a seat. Kaname raises an eyebrow and asks curiously, "Zero, what are you doing?"

Zero ignores him and lets go of his sleeve. With an annoyed murmur, he lies back down again, this time propping his head against Kaname's leg. Kaname blankly watches Zero blindly search for the blanket again, fingers tugging it back up, before Zero curls up again and sighs in satisfaction.

Kaname blinks again, and when it is clear that Zero is not moving from his spot, he stares down incredulously.

Is…is Zero asleep again?

He furrows his eyebrows and shakes Zero gently by the arm again. "Zero? Zero, you can't sleep like this."

Zero merely turns his body to the side and away from the sofa, warm cheek pressed against his leg. Kaname watches as Zero only closes his eyes to doze off again.

Déjà vu sinks though Kaname. He glances down at Zero warily. If waking Zero up is already a difficult task on its own, then waking up a drunken Zero requires nothing short of a miracle. In fact, he wonders if Zero had actually been sleeptalking through the entire exchange.

He sighs and glances towards the kitchen when something clatters again and an exasperated yell echoes loudly through the walls. Kaname frowns slightly and gazes back down at Zero.

He does not understand anything right now.

Kaname shakes Zero again and says again, desperateness coloring his voice. "Zero. Wake up."

Zero murmurs indistinctly again, and Kaname watches Zero's forehead crease as he grimaces at the prodding. However, his eyes remain closed. Kaname thinks wryly that of course, Zero's stubbornness still rears its head even in sleep.

Kaname sighs. If Zero will not move, then he will.

He slowly tries to ease himself away without disturbing Zero too much, when his neck suddenly throbs harshly again. Kaname exhales shortly in frustration, hand coming up to rub it again for what seems to be the hundredth time this week.

This needs to stop. He might have to do some immediate research on the bond as soon as he gets back to his room. After all, how else is he supposed to sleep with the bond reacting like this much less do anything productive?

"Mmnn. Stop it."

Kaname stops and glances back at Zero, who finally opens his eyes. Zero furrows his eyebrows at Kaname's movement, lips twisting in an irritated frown. He suddenly reaches out to clasp Kaname's hand, tugging it towards himself and bringing it to rest on his chest before turning back on his side again and closing his eyes.

Kaname widens his eyes and asks hesitantly, "Zero?"

He flexes his fingers experimentally, intending to withdraw them, only to feel Zero grip them even tighter, slender fingers interlocking tightly with his own, apparently adamant on keeping his arm prisoner.

Kaname sighs again and gives up. He knows he could yank his hand away, but the action seems entirely too abrasive for something as harmless as this. Also, Zero might become even more irritated, and an argument is not something he is particularly too keen for right now. Especially not when Zero is not even in a lucid state of mind.

…More importantly, Zero looks startlingly comfortable like this. Seeing him wrapped in the blanket invokes images of last week again, like the way that Zero innocently clung to him fast asleep…

Kaname shakes his head as a strange mix of helplessness and frustration swirls through him. He cannot even begin to comprehend why he cares about these little details.

Or why he finds the sight of Zero sleeping so…so…endearing.

And just like that, his mind skids to a halt as soon as he finally registers his thoughts. Kaname groans inwardly and rubs his temples with his free hand.

His mind feels more and more like a complete stranger to him as this week has gone by.

Zero suddenly exhales softly and shifts a bit more before he murmurs, vaguely annoyed, "St'p movin', Kaname. You're a ter'ble pillow."

Kaname pauses as his lips involuntarily twitch upwards at that. Pillow?

He gazes down at Zero curiously, wondering if it's a side effect of alcohol or if Zero has somehow developed an odd form of sleepwalking. Because even if Zero is drunk, this side of him…is still fascinating to see.

Kaname surveys Zero carefully and notices the deepening breaths. He can hear the slow, steady heartbeat, feel it thrumming lightly in the fingers wrapped around his own. He inwardly shakes his head with incredulity. How can Zero can go back to sleep so easily?

Perhaps he should be more bewildered or even concerned at how natural this feels, the effortlessness in which the companionable quietness settles over them. But, Kaname only sighs and leans back against the sofa. He inexplicably feels much more at ease than he did when he walked through the door.

Kaname relaxes slowly as the tranquility radiating softly from Zero seeps through along with the shared warmth. Looking at Zero sleep only reminds Kaname of his own exhaustion, the slight pressure buzzing in his head, and how heavy his own eyelids are starting to feel….

* * *

Kaito stalks over to the sink and slams the plate down. He complains, "I'm not drunk! Just buzzed. And none of this is my - "

Yagari gives him a pointed glare and Cross gazes morosely at the shattered bowl on the ground. He rather liked the printed yellow ducks on that fruit bowl. Kaito shifts uncomfortably at the gaze and then amends, "Some of this is my fault."

Yagari glowers at him and Kaito revises again with a frown, "A significant portion is my fault."

" _Kaito_."

Kaito scowls and throws his hands up in frustration. He retorts, "All of this is my fault, ok? I accept full responsibility. Happy? Geez."

Yagari crosses his arms and says exasperated, "I don't see anything here to be happy about."

Cross sighs and ambles out of the kitchen to head into the living room. He calls out, tone apologetic, "Kaname-kun, what did you want to…"

His voice trails off as he stops at the sight of the two on the sofa. Kaname has an elbow propped on the armrest of the sofa, head slumped down into his palm. Cross blinks. Is he…asleep?

How uncharacteristic for someone so composed like Kaname to let down his guard like this.

Cross's eyes flick to Zero who still fast asleep, has somehow repositioned himself so that his head is resting partly in Kaname's lap. Of course, the most interesting thing that catches Cross's attention is the hand clasping Kaname's own.

Cross tilts his head to the side, lips curving in an amused smile as he regards the both of them. A surprising aura of serenity envelops them. Both Kaname and Zero seem so at ease with each other. If Cross did not know any better, he would have mistaken them for close friends.

How unexpectedly charming.

Cross's lips curve in a wicked grin and he murmurs aloud, "I need to take a picture of this."

Oh, he needs the camera. Cross glances distractedly around the living room, eyes sweeping over the small side desk against the wall. Camera, camera. Oh, drat. Where did he put the blasted thing?

There are footsteps approaching behind him before they stop abruptly. Kaito stares blankly at the scene and says slowly, "This is…"

"Adorable!" Cross chirps brightly as he turns around to face Kaito and Yagari who has varying degrees of bewilderment upon arriving in the living room.

"Strange," Kaito finishes finally.

Cross shushes him as he turns to gaze back at the sofa with another grin. "You'll wake them up before I can get a picture. Ah, that's right! Kaito-kun, go get the camera. I think I left it where the rack of keys is."

Kaito stares at Cross before looking back at Kaname and Zero. He blinks and says haltingly, "Sensei, I think you're right. I am drunk."

Yagari gives him a dry look and grouses, "How wonderful. Now I think I need a drink."

Cross frowns and makes a shooing gesture with his hand, "Kaito-kun, why are you still standing here? Go get the camera!"

Kaito blinks before he says slowly, "I think Zero would kill you if he found out you took a picture, chairman." He mutters under his breath, "That is if I'm not hallucinating at this point."

Cross pouts and looks towards Yagari instead. "Can you go get the camera then?"

"Get it yourself."

"Toga! Do you not see the rarity of this moment? Memento, I need a memento!"

Kaito raises a hand and blinks at it. "Hey, can someone tell me if I'm dreaming or not?"

Yagari sighs and rubs his forehead as he mutters, "I'm surrounded by idiots."

Kaito moves to kick him for the comment only to crouch down with a groan, a hand clutching his stomach. Yagari pauses and stares warily down at him. "Kaito, what the hell?"

Kaito swallows as his stomach suddenly lurches violently, the waves of nausea roiling through him and pricking his skin. He moans aloud, "Oh, god. I don't think I should have eaten that fried rice."

Cross widens his eyes and says worriedly, "Do you need to go to the bathroom?"

Yagari looks at Kaito and points out disbelievingly, "You only ate a spoonful of it! How can it get you sick? Exactly how much alcohol did you drink?"

Kaito does not answer and groans again, this time slapping a hand over his mouth. Yagari hurries over to him and carefully helps him up. He cusses under his breath and says exasperatedly, "Don't you dare puke here. Why the hell do I have to deal with this?"

Cross stares as the two walk off …or er, Yagari is walking and Kaito is all but hunkered over as they somehow shuffle towards the bathroom. Yagari has one hand on his back all the while berating Kaito in exasperation because great, now he has two brats who both can't hold their alcohol and damn it, Cross, he is not cleaning up the bathroom if Kaito makes a mess, and see?

He knew Cross's cooking would give them food poisoning one of these days. It was just a matter of goddamned time.

Cross blinks. Hmm. Perhaps, the seasoning really is too strong. Note to self, tone down the spiciness.

A sudden low murmur draws Cross's attention back to the sofa. Kaname blinks before realization dawns in his eyes. Oh, no. Did he -?

He glances at Cross who smiles knowingly back at him. Kaname inwardly grimaces at himself. He must be more tired than he thought.

Kaname sits up straighter, careful not to jostle Zero who continues to sleep on and Kaname notices with slight surprise, with his hand still holding onto his own. He pauses. They must be making a rather strange scene right now.

Cross looks unperturbed though, expression as bright and cheerful as ever, perhaps even happier than usual. Kaname clears his throat and says a little uncomfortably, keeping his voice low, "I apologize. Did I doze off?"

Cross notices with surprise that Kaname neither looks taken aback at Zero's presence nor pulls himself away. In fact, he does not miss the way Kaname carefully tries not to wake up Zero.

Perhaps these two are getting along better than he thought.

At Cross's odd beaming expression, Kaname looks questioningly at him. Cross smiles and waves a hand dismissively in the air to clear Kaname's confusion. He hums and says lightly, "It is fine. You must be exhausted from the meeting with the council all week. What brings you here so late? Is there something wrong?"

Kaname pauses, still slightly confused, but continues regardless, "The council has not been exactly….cooperative."

Cross remarks, "The council is not taking the news of last night well, I take it." At Kaname's nod, Cross continues idly, "Neither is the association, so that should not be surprising." He pauses and surveys Kaname for a moment before his eyes soften, "You look exhausted, Kaname-kun. Why don't we discuss this in depth tomorrow?"

Taken aback, Kaname furrows his eyebrows and says with a frown of his own, "I am fine."

Cross smiles and says lightly, "Really? You look like you could use some sleep. I for one, am feeling admittedly exhausted from this week." He tilts his head and continues casually, "The problems will not disappear overnight, Kaname-kun. We both should get our rest and return to the matter feeling more refreshed and focused, hmm?"

Kaname frowns again. It's the second time he has been told to get some sleep, and he wonders if he really does look so exhausted. He sighs and says reluctantly, "I understand. Then we will discuss this tomorrow."

Cross claps his hand and says cheerfully, "Good, good. Then you -"

"Stop telling me that you feel like throwing up! Just sit and face the damn toilet, alright?"

Cross and Kaname both pauses as Yagari's muffled yell rings out through the hallway, punctuated by another curse and another loud groan. Kaname raises an eyebrow and asks slowly, "Are they alright?"

Cross glances down the hallway and says uncertainly, "They…are. Kaito-kun may have…um…eaten something that did not agree with his stomach."

Kaname has a sneaking suspicion that the chairman's cooking is undoubtedly the cause of it. He only nods though and says, "I will take Zero back to his room then."

Cross blinks and says, unable to hide his surprise this time, "Oh. That's – Alright. Of course, thank you."

Kaname does not respond as he glances down at Zero again. He sighs and this time, does not even bother to attempt to wake up Zero. Instead, he carefully pries away his fingers from Zero, who thankfully lets go of him this time. Praying that Zero is too deep in sleep to protest again, Kaname quickly slides away from Zero, one hand gently cushioning Zero's head as he does so to prevent Zero from falling abruptly against the sofa and waking again.

He straightens up and looks over Zero unsurely. How should he do this then?

Cross hides another amused smile at Kaname's perplexed frown and suggests innocently, "You could carry him, if you don't want to wake him."

Kaname blinks at him, and Cross has to all but squash down another amused chuckle. Kaname glances at Zero again before silently agreeing.

He kneels down, back facing the sofa, and carefully pulls Zero's arms forward until they drape over his shoulders lifelessly. Kaname waits a moment, but Zero does not stir and seems fast asleep.

He reaches out to grip underneath Zero's legs, and in one smooth, fluid motion, straightens up with Zero dangling on his back. There is a mumbled word, the rustle of fabric fluttering down to the floor, and then Zero's head slumps down against his shoulder

Kaname inwardly sighs.

The things he finds himself doing lately.

Cross's lips twitch upwards as he bends down to pick up the fallen blanket. Throwing it carelessly back on the sofa, he strides to the door and holds it open. Kaname pauses and carefully readjusts Zero before walking out. Cross grins and waves, "Good night, you two. Don't trip in the dark!"

Kaname glances at him and murmurs a quick good night before striding out. There is an odd gleam in Cross's eye that makes him wonder if perhaps, waking up Zero would have been the wiser option.

He sighs and mentally shrugs the observation away. He is too exhausted to make sense of the chairman's peculiar antics.

He glances sideways and the silver strands of hair catch his eyes. It's….surreal.

Kaname would never have imagined that he would be carrying a drunken hunter on his back like, much less forming a blood bond with said individual either, and yet here they are.

Fate certainly has a warped sense of humor.

He shifts Zero up again to prevent him from sliding down. Kaname supposes it would be infinitely easier if he carried Zero in his arms, but he has a strong inkling that it would definitely not end well if Zero happened to wake up.

Especially not if Zero happened to wake up and sober. He imagines the reaction would be something akin to dropping a cat in cold water.

He sighs. His neck strangely does not hurt anymore, and Kaname does not know if he should be grateful for it or concerned at the sudden peace.

The entire situation with the bond is… troublesome.

He has no idea what he should do with it now. He clearly cannot dismiss it nor can he compartmentalize it away as something he just have to endure and live with.

Not with….not with how he felt all week, those surges of desire and need coursing through him, burning fire in his veins, demanding him to meet them.

Kaname swallows. It…scares him how easily the bond can make him lose control, how deeply embedded it is in his instincts and thoughts.

He cannot afford to be at the mercy of the bond, to be tugged every which way like a puppet.

And he never thought… it would be this strong.

Not when he and Zero are so far from being mates in the conventional sense.

What… exactly are they to each other now?

He _still_ does not know.

The bond complicates things. It throws their relationship straight in uncharted waters.

They are not enemies, rivals, or at least not anymore. Acquaintances? Friends?

Kaname pauses and bites his lips. None of those labels feels right to him, but he does not know how to describe what he feels towards Zero, not when he cannot even make sense of his own feelings.

They are unquestionably bonded together, _mates_ , but for a word that signifies so much, it explains so little about their relationship.

Zero is…Zero is not the person he thought he was. He has seen so many different expressions in the past weeks that he never would have expected from the scowling hunter. Ones that reveal a softer side to Zero, the one that comes with pink cheeks and wide lavender eyes and tender fingers that contrast the casual brusqueness.

It's a warmth, a softness that ignites a protectiveness, a gentleness in him that Kaname always reserved for Yuki.

He …does not mind spending time with Zero, thinks it would not be so bad to coax out more of those expressions out of Zero.

And, he keeps finding himself puzzling through the contradictions in Zero's words and actions because the images always catch in his thoughts.

There is so much he still does not know about Zero, and he _wants to_ , wants to know more about this reckless person he has been bonded to.

Kaname pauses and widens his eyes, startled by his own reverie. This…This sounds like he's -

"Kaname? Is it you?" a sleepy voice inquires from right behind his ear, effectively interrupting his thoughts. Blinking in awareness, Kaname notices with a slight start that in the midst of his reflections, he had stopped walking.

The sudden lapse in movement must have woken up Zero up then.

Kaname pauses and notices that Zero's words seem somewhat more lucid. Is he sobering up?

Quickly realizing that he had yet to give Zero an answer to his question, Kaname answers with a simple yes and half-expects a protest or startled sound of realization.

Instead, to Kaname's surprise, Zero merely tightens his arms around Kaname's neck and bends his knees more. Kaname stills as Zero readjusted himself. There is another low murmur before Zero settles back against him, cheek pressed against his shoulder with a sigh.

Kaname wonders if Zero realizes that he keeps relaxing when aware of Kaname's presence.

It is almost as if… Zero trusts him.

Kaname dismisses the thought. What is he thinking?

Zero is intoxicated and sleepy on top of that too. Of course, he might be behaving uncharacteristically.

At any rate, Zero's docile state means that he is more accommodating than usual and Kaname should be simply grateful for it.

"Where we going?" Zero mumbles suddenly, sending hot puffs of air that tickled the nape of Kaname's neck.

Kaname resisted the urge to shiver. He blandly replies, "I'm taking you back to your room…"

His voice trails off as he steps forwards and takes in his surroundings. Why is he in this hallway?

Kaname inwardly groans. He must be more tired than he thought.

"Kaname?"

"Hmm?" Kaname murmurs distractedly. God, this is becoming a very long night.

"Kaname?" Zero continues with a playful hint in his tone that Kaname has never heard before. "You lost?"

Kaname raises an eyebrow and turns his head only to see lilac eyes gleaming in mischief back at him.

Turning his head back and resuming his steps. Kaname responds, now with amusement coloring his voice. "It seems I took an unintentional detour."

He widens his eyes when Zero snickers at that before it turns into a full-blown laugh. The clear musical sound, warm with amusement, rings out pleasantly in the air and has Kaname's own lips involuntarily twitching in a brief smile.

He never heard Zero laugh so carefree before. Zero looking happy at all is a rare phenomenon.

Oblivious to the effect he was having on the pureblood, Zero snickers again before he comments, a teasing tone in his tone, "You're so weird. You got lost here? At school?"

As if the humor of the situation sets in again, Zero laughs again, thoroughly satisfied as if Kaname's apparent lack of direction is the best thing he just discovered.

Completely amused now, Kaname shakes his head, lips curving in a bemused smile, and counters lightly, "Should you be this happy that the person who is carrying you is supposedly lost?"

At that, Zero shrugs, head burrowing back in Kaname's shoulder, as he says matter-of-factly, "It's still your problem. Just don't get lost again, Kaname."

Kaname represses a chuckle and remarks wryly, "How very encouraging of you." He quickly turns the corner and asks curiously, "How on earth did you get this intoxicated?"

Zero thrashes a bit at that, and Kaname widens his eyes, hands tightening their grip. Zero does not notice the near stumble he caused to the both of them, and indignantly protests, waving a hand haphazardly close to Kaname's eye. "Wasn't my fault! Stupid Kaito too."

Kaname lifts an eyebrow at that stunningly disjointed explanation. "How much did you two drink?"

He scowls and leans forwards so that Kaname could see him. Zero complains sourly, "You make me sound like a alch-, an alca - "

Zero stops and crinkles his forehead as he struggles to pronounce the word.

Suppressing a smile, Kaname decides to help Zero out and suggests with warm amusement, "Alcoholic?"

Zero's eyes light up in satisfaction. "Yes! That." He raises a challenging eyebrow at Kaname and asks, "Right?"

Lips curving in another bemused smile, Kaname offers, "It _is_ good that you're not an alcoholic, Zero."

Zero grins and leans back, satisfied at Kaname's confirmation. He continues though in a pointed tone, "But I'm not drunk."

Kaname keeps walking, repressing another chuckle, and answers casually, "Of course not."

Zero narrows his eyes, recognizing the patronizing tone despite his drunk-addled state. He retorts, "Am not! I can prove it."

At that, Kaname smirks, unable to help himself. Zero's playful mood really is infectious.

Swiveling his head to the side, he challenges, "Really? Let's test it, shall we?"

He stops walking and lets go of his right arm from behind. Lifting it up to besides his head and with the palm facing Zero, Kaname raises two fingers. "How many fingers am I holding?"

Zero bites his lip. He squints and reaches out to grab Kaname's wrist. He holds it up close to his face. Shaking his head, Zero lets go and instead pokes the middle of Kaname's palm with his finger.

Kaname raises and eyebrow and watches as Zero then proceeds to move his index finger up to trace Kaname's own raised index finger and then his middle finger as well, sending slight tingles through Kaname's skin as he does so. Pursing his lips, Zero uses his fingers to pry open and straighten out a third finger.

Curious, Kaname keeps his hand still as he observes Zero with avid interest. "Zero, what are you doing?"

Ignoring Kaname's question, Zero continues until all five fingers are straightened. Raising his own hand, Zero slaps Kaname's open palm and grins. "Five!"

Kaname could not stop the hearty laughter that spills out of him then, even if he tried. Zero's response is _priceless_.

Alcohol clearly induces a personality change in Zero. Zero, who always scowled, hands quick on the trigger somehow has developed the mentality of a happy, hyperactive toddler.

Kaname laughs again. The whole situation feels almost surreal.

The hilarity of the moment escapes Zero, however. And he leans forwards and rests his chin on Kaname's shoulder. Peering curiously at Kaname, he asks, "What's so funny?"

Still chuckling, Kaname answers warmly, voice brimming with mirth, "You. It's surprising to see that you have a childish side."

Zero blinks in confusion. He apparently decides that it is not worth his effort to decipher Kaname's statement because the next thing Kaname knows, Zero burrows his head against Kaname's shoulder. He murmurs, "S'not nice to tease, Kaname."

"My apologies," Kaname offers, but the amusement in his voice betrays any sign of true sincerity. He tightens his grip on Zero's legs and resumes walking.

As Kaname continues on, he notices that Zero seems strangely subdued now. Zero lets out a muffled yawn before nuzzling closer to Kaname's neck. With eyelids blinking drowsily, Zero presses his cheek against the side of Kaname's neck.

Kaname flinches slightly at the sudden skin-to-skin contact. For a second, he could swear that the bond buzzes happily in recognition before the sensation suddenly dissipates. Zero, not noticing Kaname's reaction, closes his eyes and murmurs softly, "You feel warm."

With that statement lingering in the air, Kaname feels a quiet sense of comfort enveloping them. Inexplicably reluctant to disrupt the fragile tranquility that slips in, Kaname takes a moment to regain his composure and continues walking. With a small smile, he says lightly, "Is that so?"

Zero makes a small noise of agreement before falling silent again, most likely falling asleep again.

With the exception of his footsteps against the carpet, the silence continues until Zero asks suddenly, apparently not asleep as Kaname thought, "How was the meetin'?"

Kaname furrows his eyebrows at the peculiar question. He automatically starts to turn toward Zero in puzzlement, but stops himself, not wanting to dislodge Zero from his comfortable position. Instead, Kaname continues walking and asks curiously, "Meeting?"

Strange. Out of all the things Zero could possibly talk about while inebriated, he chooses that topic?

To be honest, Kaname thought Zero did not care enough to even remember it.

He can feel Zero nod sleepily against his shoulder. Zero mumbles, his words slightly muffled by Kaname's coat, "The one with the up-to-no good geezers. That one."

Kaname's lips twitch upwards at the way Zero says it so matter-of-factly. Well, it succinctly expresses Zero's opinion of the council.

"It…" Kaname pauses and struggles to think of a fitting phrase or word that would accurately describe the meeting.

An exercise in futility? A waste of time? An example of the council's frustrating ineptitude? The very definition of inefficiency?

His eyes narrow in irritation as the memories of the week flit through his mind once more.

As if he could read Kaname's mind, or perhaps his darkening aura, Zero supplies, "Sucked?"

Kaname's lips quirk in a brief smile at that and he remarks idly, "In more or less words, I suppose."

Zero remarks, with a slight hint of optimism. "You...survived though."

Kaname's lips twitches in another smile, and he teases, "Is this your way of cheering me up?"

Kaname can feel Zero shrugging his shoulders in response. He silently chuckles as he stops right in front of Zero's room. "Where is your key, Zero?"

Zero barely lifts his head up from Kaname's shoulder to stare blankly at the door. At Zero's silence, Kaname sighs. "Never mind."

He reaches out and grips the doorknob. He hears the gears click and turn under his touch before Kaname turns the doorknob and opens the door. As he steps through the doorway, Kaname reaches out behind him to close it.

He pauses, eyes taking in the familiar sight of Zero's room again, before he heads over to the bed with Zero still on his back.

Stopping at the side of the bed, Kaname carefully lowers Zero to the bed. Zero, slightly more awake now, sits clumsily down without being prompted, his shoulders slumping down tiredly.

Kaname surveys him and deliberates for a moment before kneeling down. With deft fingers, he unties Zero's shoes and pulls them off, setting them aside on the floor.

With another speculative look, Kaname pauses. Zero is still in his full school uniform. He asks hesitantly, "Do you want to change your clothes?"

Zero blinks slowly at him and shrugs. Kaname can tell that Zero is close to dozing off again. He sighs and shakes Zero gently on the shoulder. "Don't fall asleep yet. I'll go find something for you to change in, alright?"

Zero nods and rubs his eyes. Kaname thinks wryly that Zero is going to fall asleep regardless. He steps over to the closet and rummages through to find something that Zero can change into.

Zero gets cold easily, doesn't he?

He furrows his eyebrows and grabs the first long sleeved shirt he sees, which turns out to be white, along with a pair of dark blue sweatpants. These should be fine.

Kaname turns, already expecting to see Zero fast asleep again. To his surprise – and relief- Zero is still awake and gazing at him with half-open eyes. Not exactly alert, but not asleep either.

Kaname walks back and hands him the clothes. "Here."

Zero stares at the clothes in his lap and looks back at Kaname with a frown. Kaname blinks and with an increasing sense of dread, he asks slowly, "Zero, you can do that, can't you?" He nods towards the clothes and enunciates, "Change into these clothes?"

Zero looks at him for a moment before he sighs in annoyance and grumbles, "Do I have to?"

He sounds so much like himself that Kaname pauses and wonders if perhaps, Zero is finally sobering up. He says uncertainly, "It would be more comfortable if you did."

Zero sighs and nods. He looks down at himself, and with no regard, shrugs off his blazer with a grumble.

Kaname blinks before he turns around to give Zero privacy. It is awkward, to say the least. He hears the sounds of fabric rustling and they remind him of that first morning when they realized they were bonded.

A sudden tug at his sleeve jolts him out of the flashbacks that he seems to be having far too many of this week. Kaname hesitates before he asks warily, "What is it, Zero? Are you done?"

"Help."

Kaname stills and asks weakly, "What do you want me to help you with?"

Zero tugs his sleeve again more impatiently. Resigned, Kaname turns slowly around.

Zero seems to have his blazer and vest off, but the tie is still on and somehow acquired another knot while the white collared shirt has about three buttons unbuttoned, all at uneven intervals.

Kaname surveys Zero once more before he sighs and kneels down. He reaches out and carefully undoes the knot, or knot _s_ , before gently tugging the slip of fabric free from the collar.

Kaname hesitates for a moment before his fingers latch onto the first button to pull it through the buttonhole. As his fingers continue to work down, Kaname shifts restlessly as he notices just how close he is to Zero and the way the heat clinging to Zero seeps into his fingers as they brush over the buttons and graze the skin underneath.

He swallows when he finally finishes, eyes flicking over the exposed expanse of pale, smooth skin briefly, before abruptly straightening and taking a step back.

Zero only gazes back at him, eyes open and calm, the irises a startling clear lilac despite his state and glowing with an unreadable expression.

Kaname shifts under the gaze and says uncomfortably, "Finish changing, Zero."

Zero blinks at him, and Kaname fears for a moment that he has to help Zero change into his pants too before Zero sighs and nods.

Kaname relaxes in relief and stiffly turns around again. He pinches the bridge of his nose as the fatigue begins to set in, sluggish and heavy.

There is clatter of metal on the dresser, a creak of the mattress, before Zero tugs his sleeve again.

Deeming it safe now, Kaname carefully turns back and is satisfied to find that Zero is dressed in his shirt and sweatpants. He glances at the shirt's neckline and thinks that it might be on backwards, but fixing it might be more trouble than it's worth.

Kaname eyes the heap of clothing piled on the floor and sighs before picking them up and setting them on the chair by the desk

Kaname turns back and gestures carelessly to the bed, "Lie down, Zero."

Zero does not respond this time and gazes back with that same unreadable look in his eyes.

Kaname blinks and furrows his eyebrows. Is something wrong?

He gestures to the bed again and says more gently, "You're sleepy, aren't you? Go to bed, Zero."

To his dissatisfaction and increasing puzzlement, Zero ignores his question and does not move, opting instead to sit on the bed in the same position.

Kaname's forehead creases in concern and he asks warily, "Zero?"

Zero bites his lips and lowers his head, silver bangs shielding his eyes. To Kaname's surprise, he suddenly asks, voice hesitant and quiet, "Are you leaving now?"

Kaname stills, skin pricking in unease at Zero's demeanor. His eyes rove over Zero quickly and he starts carefully, "I am. After I get you situated here, I need to head back to my room to rest myse -"

He stops midsentence as Zero reaches out and tugs on his sleeve once more. Kaname pauses and asked uncertainly, "Zero?"

"Don't go," Zero whispers softly.

Kaname's eyes widen slightly at hearing those words, and he swallows before asking worriedly, "Zero? What do you mean? What is wrong?"

Zero shakes his head, hair still covering his expression, and repeats, "Don't go."

The tone has Kaname's fingers twitching restlessly because it sounds pained, weary, and that is not right.

What…what should he do here?

He can't tell if it's the side effect of the alcohol or not, but Zero sounds troubled, and if any of their conversations has told Kaname anything, it's that he is useless when it comes to comforting Zero.

Kaname swallows and glances at Zero again, narrowing his eyes when he notices that Zero still has his head lowered. Deep concern runs through him and has him demanding, "Zero, look at me."

There is a pause and Kaname is already tensing to step even closer when Zero finally raises his head to stare straight at Kaname.

Kaname inhales sharply. Pain and melancholy enshrouds Zero's eyes, coloring them with such a dizzying emotional intensity that Kaname's chest tightens uncomfortably. Those eyes, that gaze…it pierces him and stills the words sitting on the tip of his tongue and the thoughts fluttering in his head.

Kaname clears his throat as he struggles to speak, unable to tear his eyes away from those lilac hues deepening to amethyst.

What is going on? Why is Zero looking at him like that?

He says cautiously all the while unconsciously taking a step forward, "…Zero, you're - you are not yourself right now…The alcohol must be affecting you. Go to sleep. You will feel more like yourself in the morning."

At hearing Kaname's words, Zero's eyes suddenly widen in distress and he tightens his grip on Kaname's sleeve. In a shaky voice, he chokes out, "No. Stay. It hurt when y-you were gone this week." In an even quieter voice, he whispers, "It still does."

Zero's hand is trembling, Kaname notices with worry, as he holds on even more tightly to his sleeve.

Kaname swallows thickly, his thoughts in disarray. Zero is…what did he say? It hurt when he was gone?

The side of his neck suddenly throbs harshly again, white-hot under his skin, almost in retaliation, and the urge to reach out and comfort Zero intensifies.

He ventures warily, "What do you mean it hurts?" He looks down in concern at Zero. "Was it-Do you need blood?" Kaname asks helplessly.

He does not _understand_. What could be bothering Zero for him to look…look like that?

Zero shakes his head again, this time more vigorously. He looks again at Kaname, eyes desperately beseeching him silently to understand.

Kaname gazes back helplessly, his own desperateness rising sharply. " _Zero_ , what's wrong?"

Kaname grimaces in pain as the region where Zero had bitten him flares to a harsh, scalding burn, and his unease writhes and prickles his skin.

He swallows, reining in the sensations, before he glances back at Zero. A hurt expression crosses Zero's features and has Kaname swallowing again.

Those violet eyes churn with varying emotions, gleaming alarmingly with wetness. And Zero…Zero is still gripping his sleeve like a precious lifeline. Kaname's eyes flick to Zero's other hand and sees it clenched tightly in a fist, knuckles white.

Without a gun and dressed down to a tee and boxers, with strands of hair plastered wildly to his face, and long legs dangling over the side of the bed, Zero looks…

_Vulnerable._

Nothing about the scene feels right. The pain on Zero's face, in his eyes, his voice. None of it _belongs_ there.

The wrongness chafes Kaname, like it did before on that night.

Zero is strong, so strong. Battling demons many would never have dreamed of or dared to. So why does he look so fragile now?

And as his mind whispers darkly, why is he the one who keeps seeing it? Is it his fault?

Kaname does not know if it is because of the bond's insistence or his own. But, the instinct to soothe, to reassure, to comfort overwhelms him, the need thrumming through his fingers, and he automatically reaches out to touch Zero's cheek.

Maybe - Could it be…?

His thumb brushes Zero's cheek gently and he watches wonderingly as Zero instinctively turns to his touch.

With a heavy feeling of dread, he murmurs, "The bond. You hurt because I was gone?"

At Zero's slight nod, Kaname reflexively pulls Zero in and embraces him without further thought.

The close contact instantly alleviates the pain in Kaname's neck and Kaname could feel the bond distinctly buzzing happily.

He should have known. If the bond has been driving him nearly insane all week, then what about Zero?

Kaname swallows again, inwardly berating himself for being so neglectful, so dismissive of the bond.

A rueful expression crosses Kaname's face. He whispers softly, "I'm sorry."

Zero, still sitting, merely presses his face to Kaname's chest and neck in response. His fingers latch tightly onto Kaname's coat lapels. He asks again, voice quiet and small, "Leaving?"

Kaname stares down at Zero's head, still buried into his jacket. Expression softening, he says in an equally quiet voice, "No, I'll stay."

Zero raises his head up then, eyes wide and uncertain.

His heart thumps irregularly at the raw emotion that Zero presented him. Impulsively, Kaname lowers his head to press a chaste kiss on Zero's forehead and murmurs sincerely, "I promise I will stay."

Zero slowly nods. Kaname lets him rest, sensing Zero's need to feel close to him.

Minutes waltz by as Kaname refuses to disrupt the peace that finally settles over Zero. His eyes fixates on Zero's form still in his arms. He notices Zero's breathing evening out, his body relaxing, eyelids beginning to droop down. Kaname says quietly, "You should lie down now."

At Zero's affirmative, Kaname gently lets go of Zero. Zero, fortunately, recognizes the hint and slides in between the covers without any further prompting. Taking care to stay in Zero's line of sight in case Zero thinks he's leaving, Kaname unbuttons his coat and places it on the chair.

He walks slowly to the empty side of the bed and tentatively settles down in the bed. Kaname glances sideways and frowns in dismay. Zero must have sensed his hesitance because he turns stiffly away from him, muscles in his back taut with tension and keeping strictly to his side of the bed.

This is not what he wished for. This is the very opposite effect of comforting someone.

Making his decision, he moves closer to Zero, turns on his side, and wraps an arm over Zero, hand reaching for Zero's own and fingers interlocking together. Zero freezes for a second before he relaxes, fingers tightening and bringing their clasped hands up towards his chest like before.

Kaname smiles softly at that and relaxes as well, settling into the close warmth of Zero's body pressing closely against him.

He exhales slowly as his mind runs over what happened. He thinks that relatively speaking, it is not the best idea to stay the whole night since someone is certain to notice his missing whereabouts, especially since Kaname told Takuma he would be retiring directly to his room after conversing with Cross.

On the other hand, he promised Zero that he would stay, and he won't break it.

….Although, Kaname can only imagine what the conversation will go like when Zero wakes up. He half - hopes Zero would have some memory of tonight, and he half - hopes Zero does not because Zero…

Zero seemed so painfully vulnerable tonight, and it's alright if he is the only one who remembers it for the both of them.

Kaname's eyelids flutter. It has been a long night…or early morning. He feels exhausted…so very exhausted…so…

Kaname's eyes close as sleep stakes its claim over him and wipes his mind clear of his worries.


	9. Baby, it's raining outside

**Chapter 9: Baby, it's raining outside**

"Mnnn," Zero moans. He shivers. A cold breeze creeps through the air and slithers across his legs, leaving a trail of goose bumps on his skin.

Damn it. He must have forgotten to close the window again.

Zero curls up his legs even tighter in response. He instinctively presses closer to the solid warmth pressing against his back, arm sleepily reaching to tug the blanket closer to him.

Zero pauses as he pulls something decidedly heavier than a blanket. What the –

Zero's eyes snap wide open in alarm. He furrows his eyebrows, eyes flicking down to see that he's grasping what definitely does not like a blanket but an arm.

An arm complete with a hand that has fingers that are currently interlocked with his own.

Zero blinks for several moments as he stares blankly at his hand. With a feeling of dread, he shifts and turns carefully around, eyes slowly flicking up to see Kaname sleeping peacefully next to him. He blinks once more before he gapes, completely stunned as to why Kaname is sleeping in his bed.

Again.

His still drowsy mind helpfully supplies another long string of curses that explains absolutely nothing.

He bites his lips and carefully withdraws his fingers away. There is a low murmur and Zero immediately freezes, eyes darting to Kaname's face as he holds his breath.

Kaname does not wake though and merely brings his hand back as he continues to sleep.

Zero glances at Kaname once more before he slowly disentangles himself away and slowly sits up, back leaning against the headboard.

And immediately groans with pain as his head throbs in protest at the sudden movement.

Oh, shit. Shit. What the hell?

Whatever limited brain cells remaining apparently are revolting against his decision to sit up or wake up, he can't tell at this point. He feels like his brain is trying to escape from his head or something because there is a buzzing pressure at his temples and at the sides of his head that makes him bite down another groan.

His sanity and lucidness, or really his freaking ability to just see in front of him, is under siege by the behemoth that is his sudden headache.

Oh, god.

Is…this a hangover? What the fuck did he do to have a hangover in the first place?

Zero blinks rapidly. And it does nothing to stop the blurred, spinning kaleidoscope of colors that bombard his vision.

Mistake. Definite mistake to sit up. Or to wake up. Or to think.

Goddamn it. At least, he is in his room. He groans again.

Zero leans back against the headboard, closing his eyes and desperately willing his headache to fade away, if only by a smidgen. The disorienting dizziness that he felt is beginning to incite similar waves of nausea in his stomach.

Shit. Not good.

He swallows and takes several deep breaths, cringing at the thought of throwing up.

God, and on top of dealing with the worst headache he ever had the misfortune to receive, Zero still has to deal with the fact that Kaname is in his bed and he still has _no idea_ how he got there. No idea whatsoever.

He faintly hopes that by some miracle, everything is just a bad dream. A bad dream or a hallucination of sorts. But seriously?

Even he is not convinced.

Zero carefully opens his eyes again and blinks slowly.

He instantly sighs with relief when the world looks less like a demented carousel spinning out of control and more like his goddamned room.

Zero pauses and glances to his left again.

Nope. Not a dream after all. He sighs. Since when is it ever a dream?

He thinks by now, he should probably be used to this. This is what? The third time he woke up to see Kaname in his bed?

He inwardly cringes. That does not feel like something he should be used to much less think.

Kaname, of course, does not notice that panic attack that threatens to take over Zero any minute now and continues sleeping.

Zero bites his lips. What happened yesterday?

He furrows his eyebrows in concentration as he racks through his memories, sweeping away the memories of this week like an obnoxious, dissatisfied shopper shuffling through the clothing rack.

Ok, so…last night…last night, he went to visit Lily, didn't he? Because he was fed up with the bond and wanted to get his mind off it. And then…. Kaito walked in and they had that conversation and…Zero stills and groans.

He knew he should not have listened to Kaito. He didn't even like the taste of the beer, and somehow he still finished it.

…Or at least he thinks he did. He can't remember.

Shit. That explains the hangover, but it does not explain Kaname.

He frowns and concentrates, but to his frustration, nothing comes. There is a nondescript hole in his memories, all dark space and blurry fragmented images.

Apparently he blacked out or something. His eye twitches in annoyance. Great. Bloody fantastic.

He's going to kill Kaito and abstain from drinking for the rest of his life.

Zero dragged a hand down his face in exasperation. There's a nagging feeling that something important did happen last night, and that he really should remember it. Damn it.

He…did not do anything stupid, did he? Zero bites his lips and stares down at Kaname with furrowed eyebrows. Because, he does not understand how he was with Kaito in the stables one moment and then somehow woke up in his room with Kaname the next.

Oh, god. What happened in that expanse of time?

Stupid, he definitely did something stupid. There's a foreboding feeling in his gut that confirms it for him.

Zero swallows, eyes flicking over himself and then over Kaname. They're both dressed, and there does not seem to be any marks on him.

Zero stills and widens his eyes before he ruffles his hair agitatedly, cheeks reddening in realization. He almost wants to strangle his mind, if that could be remotely possible because shit, why is _that_ the first thing he thinks of happening last night?

He cusses under his breath. That's it. He clearly drank all of his brain cells away.

He shakes his head and mutters some curse words again before he pauses and fingers the sleeve of his shirt. This isn't his uniform. It's his shirt, he recognizes that, but…he can't remember changing.

He glances over at the bed before his eyes roam around the room and stop at the chair in surprise. He can see the clothes draped over the back of the chair, and with eyes widening, he also notices a long black jacket sitting on top of it.

Kaname's?

Zero furrows his eyebrows and glances over at Kaname, eyes wide with distress. He can't remember _anything_.

He needs an explanation before he drives himself insane.

Zero reaches out, intending to wake Kaname when he falters, hand an inch away from Kaname's shoulder.

Kaname is fast asleep, chest rising up and down with each deep breath. Zero surveys him carefully and notices the dark circles under Kaname's eyes. It reminds him of before when Kaname fell asleep after Zero took his blood, and Zero wonders if Kaname is overworking himself because he still looks so tired, even now.

He instinctively knows this is probably the first good to honest, satisfying sleep that Kaname has in days.

Zero bites his lips and gazes down at Kaname. Sleep softens his features into something gentler, something more open. He looks wonderingly at the abrupt change from the stoic, compressed expression that Kaname usually has.

This expression… fits him better.

Zero withdraws his hand, unable to bring himself to disturb the tranquility that radiates softly from Kaname.

Zero swallows and looks away. These are the exact kind of thoughts that plagued him all week, like incessant flies that kept buzzing around him but never staying still enough for him to swat away.

It's annoying to say the least, but more than that, it makes things so much more complicated.

It is hard enough to come to terms with the bond itself, much less the emotional effects that apparently comes with the bond as an unnecessary bonus.

Although…the heavy ache that pulsed deep in his chest is gone now. Zero frowns in confusion, fingers unconsciously creeping up and rubbing his chest.

Well, at least, that's a plus.

Zero sighs. He really does not understand anything anymore.

A quick glance to his right tells him that it is now two in the afternoon. Zero struggles to remember. It's Sunday, isn't it?

He pauses. What should he do now?

Shower?

Carefully, Zero swings his legs over his side of the bed, taking care to avoid rustling the covers too much. Wincing at the cold floor, he unsteadily stands up, wincing as vertigo threatens to slam him back down. Zero rubs the side of his head as his headache returns, duller this time.

Yeah, this made it official.

He was never going to drink again.

Ever.

Slowly, he trudges towards the closet and grabs whatever clean clothes he sees first. His eyes dart back towards the bed, relieved to see that Kaname is still sleeping.

Good. It gives him time to wrangle out an explanation from his disjointed memories.

Hopefully, a shower would clear his mind. And with that in mind, Zero walks to the bathroom and carefully closes the door with a quiet click.

Throwing his clothes on the counter, Zero reaches out and flings open the medicine cabinet, fingers grabbing the aspirin bottle. Popping two pills in his mouth, he throws back the bottle in carelessly.

God, this better do something to quiet the elephant in his head.

He sighs and turns on the faucet, the cool metal surface instantly cooling his fingertips. Zero leans down and splashes some cold water on his face, hoping it would make him feel more awake and alert.

He peers up and stares at his reflection. Familiar lilac eyes and silver hair reflects back at him in the mirror. He does not look any different.

Hooray for small miracles, he thinks sarcastically.

Zero splashed more water on his face, vainly hoping that it would clear up his thoughts. He sloppily squeezes out some toothpaste on his toothbrush. Brushing his teeth, Zero probes his mind for the missing memories. To his dissatisfaction, the memories stay persistently elusive.

Zero absentmindedly turns off the water. He steps towards the shower stall and reaches out to turn on the hot water. While the water warms up, Zero slips off his clothes distractedly.

Why can't he remember? Just how _much_ did he have to drink last night anyways?

He steps into the shower stall, muscles immediately relaxing as steam rises up, enveloping him in a warm fuzzy heat. He immediately sighs in contentment.

Screw it. The memories will come when they come. What else can he do anyways?

Squeezing out some of the body wash on a loofah, Zero absentmindedly scrubbed his body, relaxing under the spray of warm water. He sighs and reaches out to squeeze out some shampoo before lathering his hair, fingers rubbing lazy circles through his hair and instantly soothing him with the motion.

He furrows his eyebrows as a vague memory surfaces. He remembers…remembers feeling warm fingers carding through his hair. A low voice speaking softly to him. Solid arms holding him close.

Is that something that happened last night?

He frowns, desperate for a face, a name to pin to the fuzzy memory. Stepping under the warm spray of water, Zero cusses aloud.

So close, but the memory drifts quickly away like the soap bubbles washing down the drain. He can't grasp it and his head aches with the effort.

He closes his eyes, letting the warm water run down his face in rivulets. A strong wave of frustration wells up in him. Damn it. Why can't he just remember?

This is important. He can feel it. He's missing something important.

Zero ran a hand agitatedly through the wet strands of his hair. So much for being relaxed anymore.

Zero leans against the tiles, skin shivering a bit at the contrasted coldness. He closes his eyes under the hot water, willing his muscles to relax and his mind to focus on the warmth instead.

Warmth…his mind whispers teasingly. He narrows his eyes, vaguely remembering warmth under his fingertips, against his chest. A warm back. Hands, arms carrying him. Locks of dark brunette hair. Zero's eyes widened in recognition. Kaname.

As if triggered, the rest of his memories flits through his head in brief snatches. Kaname carrying him on his back. Him laughing at something Kaname said. A hand coming up for a childish high five. Feeling the rumble of Kaname's deep laughter vibrating through him.

No way. _No way._

Zero slumps back again the tile in disbelief. He can feel his ears and cheeks burning unbearably hot, the steam in the bathroom suddenly feeling suffocating in its humidity.

Oh, god.

Apparently, he acts like a kid when drunk. Awesome. If there is ever a time when he wants nothing more than to disappear from the world and live his days as a wandering recluse living underground, this would be it.

How the hell is he supposed to confront Kaname now, much less even _look_ at him?

But, oh no, the memories does not stop there. Zero could vaguely remember Kaname leading him back to the room. Taking off his shoes. Feeling that unbearable pain of hurt and loss again. Hand coming up to tug at Kaname, not wanting him to leave again.

Zero widens his eyes, palm coming up to cover his face. Fuck. Fuck. He did what?

He could dimly remember the words, _dontgodontgo_ , running through his head like some lovesick melody. He clasps a hand over his eyes, not wanting to relive the memories anymore.

Zero swallows. Kaname had stayed. Stayed.

The thought leaves him as off-kilter as the whole goddamned week had. He does not know what to make of it or how to feel.

Did Kaname stay because of pity? Because of the emotions, the weakness that Zero displayed last night? ...Or did he stay because he….he cared enough to?

Zero bites his lips, fingers coming up to touch his forehead gingerly, remembering the feather light kiss grazing his skin. Remembers the solid grip, the unhesitating way Kaname pulled him in close. The edge of concern in his voice, the gentle murmurs.

Zero swallows again. He made Kaname worry last night.

Kaname's reaction simultaneously surprises him and at the same time, he thinks of the way Kaname has treated these past weeks and…maybe it should not be so surprising after all.

Shit.

Zero abruptly turns off the water, no longer wanting to wallow in the steam or the memories.

This is bad.

He did not think he was that affected by the bond. And most of all, as he stares blankly at his hand before clenching it tightly, it scares him how vulnerable he became yesterday.

It…It feels like he's losing control of himself. He hates it. Hates how somehow he's at the mercy of yet another unknown force.

He cusses under his breath and runs a hand shakily through his hair. What should he do?

The bond is…is messing him up, playing with his thoughts and twisting all of these…these sensations, feelings within him.

Zero frowns and glances towards the closed door with dread. Fuck, he does _not_ want to come out.

He does not want to chance Kaname being awake because it means they would talk about last night, about how their relationship just became that much more confusing. How is that even possible?

Why the hell did Kaname even carry him back to the dorms anyways?

Should have just left him where he was. Wherever that had been.

Zero grimaces and takes his time putting on his clean set of clothes, stalling for time. Zero frowns at himself, irritated at his own pathetic behavior. He can't hide away in a freaking bathroom forever, but _god_ , is it a tempting option.

He sighs wearily. He misses the days when he did not have to agonize over issues like what should he do about the guy who he's accidentally bonded with and who is also currently sleeping in his bed right now?

…It's rather depressing that he even has to think that.

His life is starting to resemble some clichéd, longwinded soap opera or something because it's ridiculous how things escalated to this point.

He takes another deep breath, hand still toweling his hair dry. He opens the door and steps warily out. Zero turns towards the bed, expecting Kaname to still be asleep only to see Kaname staring back at him, very much wide awake.

Zero freezes. Damn it all.

* * *

Kaname wakes up disoriented and confused. He blinks slowly, unable to comprehend his surroundings at first. The room…the bed…Oh, that's right. Zero's room.

Kaname glances over to his side and frowns when Zero is nowhere to be found.

Just then, Kaname's ears pick up the sound of the water running. He immediately relaxes and sighs wearily, chastising himself for getting so irrationally flustered. Zero is merely taking a shower. He's fine. Everything is fine.

Kaname runs a hand through his hair and grimaces slightly. He has just woken up and he is already acting unlike himself already.

He brings his fingers to his right temple. Kaname supposes that he needed to have a conversation with Zero over the bond, and the sooner the better. He exhales heavily. He would have to be careful with his words here because if Zero does not remember last night at all, then…well, how exactly should he explain this?

A click of the doorknob draws Kaname abruptly away from his thoughts. He looks up to see an equally surprised Zero staring back at him. The large lilac eyes instantly makes Kaname recall the look on Zero's face last night for a moment. His eyes slightly narrow at the quickening heart beat and the sharp panicked intake of breath that Zero takes.

Slipping on a neutral expression, Kaname chooses to start with a harmless question and asks softly, "How are you feeling?"

Zero's eyes widen further at Kaname's gentle tone, at the sliver of concern he can see in those russet eyes. He inwardly cringes. Kaname definitely read his body language.

Zero bites his lips and says quietly, one hand coming up to rub at his arm as he looks away, "Ok. You?"

Kaname pauses, eyes flicking over Zero. He seems fine, although distinctly uncomfortable. Actually, he expected Zero to start yelling at him for an explanation. Kaname furrows his eyebrows and wonders if it means that Zero remembers last night. He says hesitantly, "I'm fine."

The silence that follows after his words thicken the tension he can feel draping over the room.

Zero shifts uncomfortably, eyes darting to Kaname in question. So what now? Does Kaname expect him to continue this conversation, the one that he really, really could do without?

In his inner turmoil, his mind, apparently stressed out and tired of him, makes Zero finally blurt out, "I'm sorry."

Kaname stares at Zero, perplexed. Why is Zero apologizing? He voices his confusion aloud. "Zero, what are you apologizing for?

Zero frowns, eyes flicking to Kaname in dissatisfaction. Does he have to explain?

Raising a hand to the back of his head, Zero elaborates unhappily, "For last night. For getting so drunk that you had to carry me back. And for you know." Zero makes a vague hand gesture, desperately hoping that Kaname would leave it like that.

Kaname pauses and asks unsurely, "Zero…do you remember what happened last night?"

Zero glances back at him before looking away and nodding shortly. Kaname hesitates again because Zero looks so uncomfortable right now that he thinks Zero might be one step away from bolting. He continues carefully, "Then… I think we need to talk about this."

To his surprise, Zero immediately furrows his eyebrows and shifts again. He asks helplessly, "Do we have to?" He pauses and says roughly, "I…I was drunk last night. End of story. There isn't anything to discuss."

There is. There is, but Zero shoves away the nagging whisper in his mind.

Kaname blinks and asks with slight disbelief, "What do you mean there is nothing to discuss?"

Zero frowns but stubbornly looks away and says, "No, we don't. Just drop it, Kaname."

Kaname stares at him, taken aback by Zero's reaction. Why is Zero so reluctant? The bond clearly affected the both of them. Last night proves that the bond is no longer something they could dismiss or compartmentalize away.

He frowns and gets up from the bed. He takes a step forward, and to his increasing dissatisfaction, Zero stiffens and steps back. Kaname pauses and asks, perplexed, "I don't understand. Why are you avoiding this?"

Zero frowns and retorts dryly, "Of course, I want to avoid talking about it. I acted like an idiot yesterday." His cheeks flush pink with embarrassment as he pauses and recalls his actions last night. Zero looks away and says, voice strained, "I was an emotional mess last night. Ok? I'm sorry you had to deal with that."

Kaname narrows his eyes at the way Zero is gripping his arm tightly and averting his eyes. It has him tensing in wariness and he says sharply, "You were not acting an idiot. And I'm not - " Kaname stops midsentence, mahogany eyes flashing with irritation as he demands, "Why do you keep stepping back?"

Zero flinches slightly before he narrows his eyes and retorts, "Why do you keep coming closer?"

"Zero," he starts, stepping forward only to have Zero step back once again. He feels his instincts bristle at that. It does not escape him that Zero keeps deliberately putting distance between them. The observation inexplicably chafes him, digs under his skin.

He does not like it.

A dark, disapproving look crosses his features and Kaname threatens, voice low in warning, "Zero, you do not want to play this game of cat and mouse with me."

Zero stills for a second as he registers Kaname's aura darkening for a moment. He scowls then, the discomfort quickly dissipating in favor for irritation. He doesn't like what Kaname is insinuating. Mouse?

Zero stalks defiantly towards Kaname, only stopping until he's a foot away. Zero pointedly glares up at him. Crossing his arms, he sullenly conceded, "Fine. What do you want?"

Kaname has to repress an annoyed growl at Zero's response. Zero has this predilection of trying his patience. He takes a moment to recompose himself before answering, irritation still evident in his tone, "To discuss the bond. We can't approach it like this anymore."

Zero furrows his eyebrows and asks warily, "What do you mean by that?"

Kaname surveys him and says, "We underestimated it. It…It is not wise to leave the bond like this."

Zero only levels another confused look towards Kaname and questions, "What are you trying to say?"

"The bond has been…retaliating all week." Kaname hesitates before suggesting carefully, "Perhaps…we should accept the bond."

Zero stills and asks tensely, "What do you mean by accepting?"

Kaname shrugs slightly in helplessness. He does not really know himself, but he knows they can't approach the bond like they have been these past weeks. It is not something they can ignore and let it do as it wants in the background.

But, before Kaname can manage to express that in words, Zero clenches his fingers and accuses sharply, "What do you mean you don't know? What – you -"

He stops abruptly and exhales shortly in frustration. Accept?

What does Kaname mean by that? That he should just accept those feelings of need, pain, that phantom feeling of loss that plagued him all week as normal? That apparently having his emotions tugged every which is something he should just resign himself to?

Zero stiffens as the implications sweep through.

He _can't_. He can't accept the bond if it means giving up his self-control. Not when he has so little of it already.

Zero's rising temper only inflame Kaname's own frustrations with the issue of the bond, and he tenses slightly with a frown.

It isn't as if he has a wealth of knowledge to draw from. All he has is his experience right now, Dealing with the bond all week has only confirmed his fear that this is something well beyond his control.

He is not happy about this either, and Kaname answers dryly, irritation flickering in his eyes, "Contrary to what you think, Zero, I don't know everything. I'm about as lost about this as you are."

Zero glares at him and demands, "So what then? That's your best solution? To accept the bond? How the hell will that make things better?"

Zero tightens his fists in agitation. Kaname has no idea what he is saying.

No. He nearly lost his mind this week. And Kaname is standing calmly there, saying that he should accept the thing that caused the mess in the first place?

So he can what? Lose whatever shreds of sanity he still clung to?

"No."

Kaname raises an eyebrow again, eyes flicking over Zero's form tense with anger. He narrows his eyes. Why Zero is being so difficult? What other choice do they have?

The irritation building inside of him shifts to flat out frustration, and he asks, voice hardening, "No, what, Zero?

Zero's lilac eyes darkens to violet, brimming with fury. He snarls, "No! I'm not accepting it! You're insane if you think we should. You have no idea what I felt like this past week!"

Zero's hands comes up to clutch at his chest involuntarily as his mind races through the memories of the week again, the sensations that he had to endure. He swallows and says, voice edged with desperateness and anger, "I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. Like someone had torn something away from me. Everything hurt, even though there were no goddamned injuries. I kept- I kept feeling this _ache_ …this _wantin_ g."

With silver strands now falling messily over amethyst eyes swirling wildly with madness, Zero continues ranting furiously, "And every time I closed my eyes, I could only think about you! About where you were. About what you were doing. I don't know why I care! Why should I feel all of this towards you? You of all people!"

Zero breathes heavily before he grits out, "At this freaking rate, how the hell am I supposed to even carry out my job as a guardian or a hunter?"

Kaname narrows his eyes in vexation. In a low voice, he says lowly, finally releasing his own pent up feelings. "You think you were the only one who suffered this week? I had a meeting with the Council, or did you forget?"

Incited, his eyes gleam dangerously, red increasingly tinting his eyes. Kaname continues, his voice scathing and sharp. "During the whole meeting – no – week, instead of focusing on the deliberations, I kept finding myself thinking about you, Zero. I would catch myself gazing out the window. I could _feel_ the bond tugging at me. Every time I blocked it, the bond would merely react stronger."

Kaname stops and reaches up towards his neck, very much still aware of how it felt. "It reached the point until I could feel it burning on my neck, like it was branding me with its demands. Do you have any idea how foolish it is? To go head to head with the council distracted like this? You think I _wanted_ this bond either?"

He finishes acidly, "It is _pathetic_ that in the _one_ week I spend apart from you, I am suddenly unable to perform any of my duties. Which I assure you are very necessary and important."

Zero stills and stares back at Kaname with wide eyes, taken aback by the rare display of anger.

He…he really did not consider Kaname's own feelings towards the bond. The fact that the normally composed pureblood just lost his temper speaks volumes on Kaname's own frustrations and uneasiness towards the bond.

Zero shakily runs a hand through his hair. Shit. Shit.

Kaname's words flit through his head once more, and with each word, resignation darkens and swirls through him in a black fog.

God, what the hell are they supposed to do now? What the fuck is _he_ supposed to do?

Zero's jaw clenches and he asks self-deprecatingly, "So what now? We're both screwed then?" He tightens a hand on his arm and continues bitterly, "You never should have given me your blood."

Kaname stills. Never should have given him blood?

He narrows his eyes, the dark surge of anger spiking through his blood, destructive adrenaline in his veins. He reaches out, and the room blurs by as his heartbeat thunders in his ears and he finds himself roughly slamming Zero back against the wall. He can feel the bond trembling anxiously, sending icy slivers of iciness and jagged pulses of heat under his skin.

Kaname ignores it and says lowly, "What does that mean? You took my blood of your own accord."

Zero widens his eyes at Kaname's response, at the fury smoldering in the reddening irises. He narrows his eyes and glowers back, gritting out, "I never wanted it in the first place. You never should have given it to me." He glances at his wrists pressed towards the wall and his own anger courses through him. He jerks his writs harshly and snarls, "Get off me, you bastard."

Kaname tightens his grip, fingers bruising and unyielding. With eyes narrowed and lips pressed tightly in a straight line, he says angrily, voice rising in anger and disbelief, "I never should have given it to you? Do you know what would have happened if you didn't? You wouldn't be standing here right now!"

Why are they back here? Why are they back at square one? The thoughts swirl chaotically through him, and Kaname growls with the sheer anger, frustration searing though him.

He can't _understand_.

Not give him blood? So Zero can what? Be left to his fate and be killed or worse? Pull the trigger on himself?

Why? _How?_ How can the bond be that much worse than that?

Zero thrashes under his hold, foot coming out to kick him sharply in the shin, and he yells vehemently, eyes flashing wildly, "Don't throw that in my face!"

Kaname presses Zero back and yells back, voice desperate and furious, "What do you want from me? I cannot change the fact that we are bonded!"

Zero glares back at him, opens his mouth to retort scathingly back, when Kaname suddenly stills as his words echo back in his ears. He swallows and asks, voice strangled and hoarse, "Or is that it? Do you hate me that much that you can't stand to be bonded to me?"

Zero freezes and widens his eyes. Hate? Wha-What?

Kaname gazes searchingly back at him, but Zero is still speechless, mind still racing through Kaname's words again. Hate? He can't muster any words, any answers because what the fuck is Kaname even saying?

Kaname suddenly lets go of him and steps back, and Zero sees the pain and hurt cutting sharply across Kaname's features, shadowing Kaname's usually vivid eyes.

The expression catches in Zero's mind, and trepidation plummets coldly in his stomach as his heartbeat thunders loudly in his ears.

No. No. No.

But, Zero can already see it in the way Kaname tenses and turns away from him that he's taking Zero's silence as an answer. Zero's eyes widen and his fingers twitch. No. What is Kaname thinking?

That is not what he's thinking. That isn't why he's so alarmed over the bond. That is not at all what he means.

Kaname does not notice Zero's distraught expression as he turns away, fists tightening, and says shortly, voice cold and emotionless. "If we can't stand to be away from each other for a week, then you should already accept the bond for what it is. If you want to -"

Kaname stills and blinks in surprise as he feels a tug on the back of his shirt and then a warm pressure against his shoulder. He is about to turn, but the fingers clench his shirt and stops him from turning around.

And, then he hears Zero whisper thickly, "I didn't say that." Zero drops his forehead against his shoulder and continues quietly, "I didn't say that I hated you. So stop putting words in my mouth, you idiot. I just…"

Zero bites his lips, hesitant on revealing his reasons.

Kaname furrows his eyebrows, not missing the tremble in Zero's fingers. He swallows.

Zero says suddenly, "I never wanted to be a vampire. You know that." He pauses and takes a deep breath before he continues falteringly, "If…you tell me to – to accept this bond, this bond that goes against everything I believe in and have been fighting against, and after this week….Fuck, do you understand how I feel right now?"

Kaname holds his breath and breathes out, "Zero…"

He didn't.

He didn't realize how much more terrifying, how much more resentful Zero must have found the bond. The bond, to Zero, must have felt another one of fate's vicious tricks to take away Zero's control over his life, his identity, himself.

Kaname exhales slowly. Is this why Zero was angry?

He frowns and mentally chastises himself. How could have he have lost his temper like that?

Zero steps back and lets go of his shirt. He bites his lips and settles back against the wall.

Kaname immediately turns around, eyes quickly roving over Zero. He stills as he catches the helplessness shuttering over Zero's features before Zero averts his eyes and confesses, voice achingly honest, "It's already hard enough to deal with my bloodthirst, to come to terms with myself, and that might as well be a lost cause. And if my feelings aren't my own, then what do I have left?"

Kaname does not even stop to think as he steps closer to Zero.

Zero's eyes dart back to him in surprise. "Kaname? What are you doing?"

Zero blinks when Kaname only pulls him in gently and then all he sees is the blur of white fabric in front of him, feels the warm, solid arms wrap around him, and then Kaname is murmuring, "I'm sorry. I didn't…didn't realize. I didn't mean to be so angry." Zero's eyes widen slightly as Kaname tightens his grip and holds him even closer, repeating quietly again, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Zero swallows. He can feel Kaname's heartbeat vibrating under his fingers latched onto the shirt, the concern and remorse in the tight embrace. Expression rueful, he drops his forehead against Kaname's shoulder and mumbles, "What are you apologizing for, idiot? I was pissed and I took it out on you too."

Kaname does not answer and only holds him close, arms encircling around Zero's waist as if afraid to let him go. A twinge of heat runs through his neck, gentle and pleasant this time, as if in satisfaction. Zero pauses and lifts his head to look at Kaname.

Kaname gazes uncertainly back before he says quietly, russet eyes solemn and piercing, "You…you said that you did not have anything else left, but you do." He pauses before he continues, voice brimming with unrepressed emotion, "You have so much, Zero. You treat yourself so carelessly when all I see are these eyes bright and burning with life."

Zero widens his eyes at Kaname's words, surprise and wonder flitting through him. Kaname smiles softly as he sees the glow of lavender in those bright eyes, so breathlessly open and vulnerable. He pulls back so that he can reach out and thumb Zero's cheek gently. He murmurs, "See?"

Something warm curls in Zero's chest at the honesty in Kaname's words and gaze, and it has him averting his eyes, cheeks heating up. He bites his lips and murmurs, "That's why you're an idiot. How could I hate someone who says things like that?"

His gaze slides sideways and he catches the small smile on Kaname's face, the hint of relief and ease in those dark eyes. Zero crosses his arms and shifts slightly. Last night's memories flash through his head again and he says with slight wonder in his tone, "You stayed last night."

Kaname's eyes flick over Zero, and his fingers are already twitching with the impulse to tug Zero back closer to him. He says simply, "You wanted me to. And I wanted to stay."

Zero does not say anything, but his expression softens and tells Kaname enough.

He reaches out and brushes his fingers across Zero's cheek again. He murmurs, "I don't like it when you look troubled. It makes me want to bring you in close and chase away whatever is bothering you." Kaname pauses before he admits quietly, "It surprises me how much you affect me."

Zero breathes in slowly as his eyes flick over Kaname's face again, heartbeat thumping loudly at the way Kaname holds his gaze, steadfast and unhesitant. How much he affects Kaname?

The words churn slowly through his head, and a sense of wonder runs through Zero.

Kaname's fingers trail down his cheek and towards his neck. Zero shivers slightly at the heat grazing his skin, the butterfly light kisses those gentle fingers leave behind, tracing patterns as they stroke down towards his neck. The soft tingles that spread underneath his skin are pleasant. Soft. Comforting.

He glances back at Kaname hesitantly, but Kaname does not seem to notice as he pulls away and says lightly now, "You weren't acting like an idiot last night." His lips curve upwards and Kaname remarks, a teasing lilt in his voice, "I thought you were rather...adorable."

Zero can feel his cheeks redden at Kaname's words, but he raises an eyebrow regardless and grumbles, "What exactly is adorable about carrying a drunk back to his room? You just have a warped personality."

Kaname's lips twitch upwards at that before he notes with slight wonder, "You laughed yesterday. I never heard you laugh like that before." Kaname pauses as he remembers the way Zero laughed, eyes bright and expression breathlessly carefree. He observes quietly, "You sounded happy."

Zero pauses at Kaname's odd expression before he points out, "I was drunk."

Kaname shrugs slightly and gazes at him, eyes warm and soft. He answers honestly, "Happy is a good look on you."

"It is for you too," Zero murmurs unthinkingly before his eyes widen in realization and he can feel his cheeks burn. His eyes dart over to Kaname, who looks just as caught off guard before his lips curve in a bemused smile.

Zero immediately looks away. Shit, what did he just say? Oh, god, can he just throw himself out the window now?

There is a low chuckle before those warm hands reach out again to wrap around him again. Zero blinks in surprise before he frowns and pushes against Kaname's chest, protesting. "Kaname! Let go!"

Kaname chuckles and brings him even closer, and Zero makes another noise of protest. He glances back and scowls at the smirk on Kaname's face. He pushes Kaname's face to the side and complains, "Stop it. Seriously. Look that way. And let me go."

Kaname chuckles again and Zero mutters under his breath, "I don't understand why I tolerate you. You're such a bastard."

Eyes deliberately landing anywhere but Kaname, he says a bit sourly, "So what are we going to do about the bond then?"

Kaname pauses at that and says pensively, "The bond most likely reacted the way it did because it's unstable."

Zero furrows his eyebrows. "What does that mean?"

Kaname sighs and explains, "A bond is more like a connection between two individuals. We formed the bond accidentally, so we don't have as strong as an emotional link as typical mates would have."

Zero blinks and realizes aloud, "That's why the bond reacted like this when we were apart this week."

Kaname nods and hesitates before he starts slowly, "I think…if we spend more time with each other, it would give the bond time to acclimate."

Zero blinks and asks confused, "Spend time? But aren't we already are? It isn't as if we avoided each other since the bond." He pauses and mutters, "I think we spent more time with each other now ever since the bond formed." Zero looks back up at Kaname and continues, "And it's not like I can be with you for the majority of the day at school. Our schedules don't match."

Zero pauses at Kaname's silence and asks warily, "Kaname?" Kaname shrugs and there's an expectant expression in his eyes that has realization and dread crashing over Zero. Zero stares at Kaname and says incredulously, "You can't be serious. You want me to – Kaname! That's a stupid idea!"

Kaname shifts slightly under Zero's disbelieving gaze, but says resolutely, "If you switch into the Night Class, wouldn't our schedules match?"

Zero stares at him and counters flatly, "I'm not going to switch into a class where I have to restrain myself from shooting the idiots every five seconds. Do you want that? A class homicide?"

Kaname pauses and gives him a sidelong look. "Aren't you exaggerating?"

"…Have you forgotten how our class exchanges have gone?" Zero shakes his head and points out, "Besides, Yagari-sensei and Kaito are teaching now. They're going to think that I hit my head and lost my memory if I transferred."

Kaname blinks and murmurs aloud, "I forgot about that." He pauses and contemplates for a moment before suggesting, "What if you only transfer into the Moon Dorms? You can still keep your classes."

Zero looks at him unimpressed and remarks wryly, "Not that I agree with you, but would that really change things? You guys still keep to demented hours."

Kaname shrugs and says simply, "I would see you more than at class exchange."

Zero grimaces and argues in exasperation, "You realize that putting aside the still suspicious nature of this, you're only shifting me from a room of vampires to a building full of them, right? Are you _trying_ to be hopelessly optimistic or do you honestly think for some godforsaken reason, that this is a good idea?"

"Zero, you're making this more difficult. They aren't as bad as you think they are, and I won't let anyone bother you." Kaname gazes steadily at him and presses, "You're fine with me, aren't you?"

"Not right now, I'm not." Zero mutters as he looks pointedly towards Kaname's arms in reminder. He adds, "And I'm bonded to you, not them."

Kaname blinks at that before his lips twitch upwards at Zero's frank statement. Zero catches the reaction and nudges Kaname in the shoulder for it. He grumbles, "How are you even going to explain my decision to move in?"

Kaname represses a chuckle at Zero's aversion and responds, "We only need the chairman's support. Yagari-sensei listens to him, doesn't he? And I don't think the chairman would protest if I said that it would help to keep your bloodthirst under control."

"I still think it's a half-baked idea." Zero furrows his eyebrows and asks helplessly, "Is this really necessary?"

Kaname shrugs and says seriously, "I won't force you to if you don't want to. But at least give it some thought before you decide."

Zero glances back at Kaname and takes in the sincere, reassuring gaze. He bites his lips and answers reluctantly, "I'll…consider it."

…Even though he thinks this might be the worst idea they ever had.

Kaname sees the frown and reassures, "If you feel uncomfortable, then it's fine. Truly. We'll… figure things out as we go." He pauses before admitting, "Although, I really think it would not be so bad if we spent more time with each other."

Zero looks questioningly at Kaname as an uncharacteristic unsure expression suddenly crosses his features. Kaname visibly hesitates, and Zero frowns slightly in concern. He blinks when Kaname's arms tighten and he murmurs quietly, "I want to know more about the person I'm bonded to."

There is a flicker of uncertainty in Kaname's eyes, a flash of vulnerability that makes Zero swallow suddenly and his neck tingle slightly. Kaname…keeps surprising him like this. He reflexively ducks his head, feeling his cheeks inexplicably warming up. What the hell is he supposed to say to that?

Kaname's expression softens at Zero's expression and he leans down, nuzzling lightly against Zero's neck and murmuring against the skin, "You smell good."

And Zero does. The smell of vanilla, cloying and lulling, wafts up, stronger and more tempting than ever. The scent clings to Zero and Kaname feels the instinctive need to pull him in even closer and drink in the smell that calls to him so temptingly and nostalgically.

Zero shivers at the way the deep cadence of Kaname's voice rolls over his skin. He quickly pushes Kaname away and retorts, "That's because I just showered." When Kaname only hums and tugs him even closer, Zero makes a strangled noise of protest. He raises his head up and glares at Kaname in clear irritation, muttering under his breath, "This better not be what you meant."

Kaname's lips curve into an amused smirk and mischief dances in his eyes when he remarks casually, "Is that what you're thinking?"

Zero's cheeks redden and he looks away, grumbling, "You're insufferable. The more I know you, the more I think you're an idiot."

Kaname grins, liking the way Zero's cheeks are beginning to flush that delicate shade of rosy pink. He deliberately leans in closer to murmur in his ear, "That's rather harsh, Zero."

He hides another pleased smile when he feels Zero shiver again. The urge to tease Zero is irresistible when Zero responds like this. The undeniable instinct to tug Zero closer and keep this soft innocence to himself rises sharply in him and has his fingers flexing to reach out and touch and feel. He leans down and noses the soft junction of skin between Zero's shoulder and neck. "You smell sweet."

Zero jolts slightly at the sharp tingle that runs through his sensitive skin there. Warmth begins to spread and unfurl, aching and slow under his skin. He swallows and nudges Kaname again as he tries to angle himself away.

The memories of last time Kaname did this runs through his head, and he glances at Kaname questioningly, noting, "You said that before."

He did, and he did…other things that makes Zero wonder if he really should move away now. Zero wavers. Kaname's lightheartedness is something that still catches him off guard, and there is an ease in the way Kaname reaches for him that Zero honestly does not know what to think of.

He distantly wonders just how exactly did their conversation shift to this?

Kaname shrugs and tightens his arms around Zero, liking the way Zero's scent envelops him, the way the warmth radiating from Zero seeps into him. He hums, "It suits you."

Zero bites his lips as Kaname's voice rumbles pleasantly against his skin, sending another sharp tingle prickling through. He struggles to recompose himself - because Kaname really needs to stop touching him like this - and says dryly, "That's nice to know that you like my body wash." He pushes Kaname again and says a little helplessly, "Now stop it."

Zero flinches slightly as Kaname's touch sends another wave of tingles that prickle his skin and adds to the rose-gold heat swirling through his neck.

"It's your fault for smelling like this."

Zero's eye twitches as he stares down at Kaname, exasperated. He echoes incredulously, "My fault? You're doing this and it's my fault?" He scowls and pushes Kaname's head away again. "I don't understand how your twisted mind works. Stop it!"

Kaname chuckles, wondering how far he can tease Zero this time before Zero really does hit him. Zero makes it so _easy_ to tease him, and it triggers a playfulness that he didn't know he has.

Zero bites his lips because Kaname needs to stop doing that when he's pressed so close to him and Zero can feel Kaname's chest shake with the laughter, feel it vibrating through his fingertips and plummeting straight through his skin where it strums through all of his nerves. His thoughts swirl in his head and the affectionate warmth in Kaname's voice lingers in his ears.

Zero thinks he should be more irritated at Kaname's antics, but it's hard when all he feels is a strange sense of pleased fascination at seeing Kaname so unguarded and genuine like this.

On a whim, Kaname presses a chaste kiss on the side of Zero's neck, right in the middle of the tattoo.

Zero immediately flinches, pleasure arcing through his skin – God, why is he so sensitive there? - and he lets out a choked out whimper that surprises him as much as it does Kaname.

Kaname stills and lifts his head, all previous mirth fading into something else that has his chest tightening and heartbeat quickening. His eyes flicking back to Zero, who gazes back at him with wide lilac eyes and pink cheeks. He swallows. That _sound_. It reminds of last time, and this time, the doe-eyed expression in those shifting amethyst hues has him coloring slightly. He murmurs helplessly, "Zero, you really don't play fair."

Zero only looks back at him with the same expression and manages out, "I really don't think you understand what playing fair means."

Kaname slowly reaches out, thumb brushing over the pink cheeks in wonder, marveling once again at the flush of heat. Zero catches his breath, feels the warm fingers resting on the side of his face, and watches Kaname with wide wondering eyes.

Kaname's eyes sweep over the rosy color coloring the soft skin before they flick involuntarily down to lips as pink and soft as those cheeks of the same color. He swallows and looks back up at Zero, breathless at the mesmerizing shade of bright lavender.

He _wants_. Kaname instinctively reaches out, brings Zero in closer, hand cupping the side of Zero's face as he lowers his head. He murmurs lowly, "Can I?"

Zero can only gaze back at him, unable to tear himself away from the rich shade of garnet glimmering in Kaname's eyes, beguiling and potent. He blinks and then suddenly, Kaname's lips are on his, pressing a light, chaste kiss. The bond immediately hums, and Zero can feel the warmth tingling pleasantly through him, his eyelids fluttering down at the sensation that washes over.

Kaname pauses and pulls back slightly, eyes hesitant as they trace Zero's lips and reddened cheeks. Zero makes a noise of dissatisfaction, eyelids half open, and Kaname only catches the gleam of hazy violet before fingers grasp his collar and tug him back down again.

And this time, the kiss deepens beyond the brush of lips, tongues delving in and licking tentatively in. Zero shivers and lets out a moan when the warmth flares through his neck and pools through his bloodstream. Kaname presses forward at the sound, arms tightening around Zero, tongues entangling without reservation now. Zero tightens his fingers and presses back as equally demanding.

Kaname utters a low groan before they both pull back for air. Zero swallows as realization sets in, and Kaname stares back with equally wide eyes. His eyes flick back to Zero and he sees the color flushing those cheeks, the rosiness of those soft lips, and Zero swallows again at the heated gaze burning into his skin.

Kaname holds Zero even tighter and nuzzles Zero's neck again, drinking in the captivating scent. The images dances through his head, and the soft warmth radiating from Zero makes him swallow hard.

Zero inhales sharply as Kaname's lips trail across his neck, the tingles buzzling and crackling through mercilessly. His nerves are set ablaze with the pleasurable sensations, and he's trembling with the surge of heat. Kaname presses another chaste kiss on his neck, and Zero's breathing hitches at the sensation that floods him. He vaguely notes that they're somehow sitting haphazardly on the floor now, his back pressed to the wall.

When did that happen?

Zero does not have time to wonder as Kaname presses a kiss to his jaw before he's gazing at Zero with a smoldering maroon gaze. Zero catches his breath and then Kaname kisses him again, slow and thorough this time. Zero's thoughts melt away in colors and images and he finds himself returning it, eyelids falling shut and fingers clenching Kaname's shirt hard.

Kaname pulls away and exhales shakily, thoughts swirling in that daze and fingers already twitching with the need, desire to lean down again and feel that soft, soft skin. The warmth flares gently in the side of his neck, the tingles searing through all of his nerves in pleasure.

He swallows and gazes down at Zero before he murmurs the first thing that comes to mind, helplessly, "You smell good."

Zero's cheeks flush even more, so, so red as Kaname's words finally drag him from the daze. His eyes widen. Did they just – Oh, god, they – What? What?

His thoughts flail in panic and he glances at Kaname again before the images rush through. They kissed. They kissed. Oh, shit. What just happened? His cheeks burn at the thought, and Zero unconsciously clasps a hand over his mouth.

Can he die of embarrassment? Is that an actual thing? It feels like an actual thing. Oh, shit. Shit. Shit.

Kaname glances at him hesitantly and ventures, "Zero? Are-"

Kaname blinks as Zero reaches out and covers his mouth to stop him. Eyebrows drawn together in distress and eyes wide with panic, Zero stares uncomprehendingly at him and says almost desperately, "I smell good? _That's_ your explanation for this? What is – What?" He stops before he asks again helplessly, "What?"

Kaname bites his lips to fight back the sudden smile, but Zero is right. His answer really doesn't make any sense. All of his thoughts are still tangled in the warm rush of blood, and all he feels is an exhilarated high that suddenly bubbles up and spills out as breathless laughter.

Zero blinks at him before he protests weakly, "This is not funny. Stop laughing! This is all your fault, you know!" When Kaname can't stop chuckling with the mirth that Zero still fails to see in this, Zero bites his lips. He knows nothing. Gets nothing. Nothing makes sense.

Kaname tries to compose himself, but his chest still shudders with the laughter. Zero frowns and nudges him in exasperation and grumbles loudly about how he swears to God, if Kaname does not stop laughing, he's seriously going to punch him, and seriously? Is he still hungover? Because why the hell are you still _laughing_? That's it. He's changing his damned body wash if it makes Kaname act like a goddamned stupid idiot.

Kaname grins and looks down at Zero who's still muttering about how he thinks Kaname has clearly lost his mind, and seriously, if that's the way it is, then he doesn't want to be stuck with a lunatic pureblood. Kaname's lips twitch upwards again and he wraps his arms around Zero.

Zero immediately stops ranting and glances at Kaname warily, but Kaname leans down, lips brushing against his forehead as he murmurs into his hair, "You're too adorable for your own good."

He can hear the smile in Kaname's words, feel it press against his skin. Heat rises to his cheeks again, and fuck, Kaname sounds so affectionate, _tender_ in that moment that his heartbeat stutters and his thoughts scatter to the wind again. He turns his head abruptly away only to end up pressing it into Kaname's shoulder. Zero strangles out, voice muffled against the fabric, "I don't understand you."

He hears the chuckle vibrate under his cheek, and maybe Zero doesn't understand himself either because he can feel his lips twitching up in a small smile at the sound. There's a strong undercurrent of amusement in Kaname's laugh, but Kaname sounds so honest here.

Zero buries his face even more to hide his expression and reaches out blindly to turn Kaname's face away so he can't feel the amused gaze boring down on him.

Kaname's lips quirk in another fond smile at that and he relaxes, settling more comfortably on the floor. He does not let go of Zero though. He can't bring himself to pull away from the shared warmth, that closeness. He likes how he can feel Zero's heartbeat strumming through his fingers and seamlessly blending into his own. It feels…right, and he's overcome with a feeling of pure contentment that thoroughly sates him.

Zero wonders if he should pull away, but Kaname is not either and there is something pleasant, comforting to be held so securely like this. It feels…nice. Zero bites his lips and hurriedly dismisses the thought. His ears pick up the distant sound of rain falling, beating steadily against the windowpane, but the rhythmic pitter-patter fades away under the heartbeats drumming in his ears and thrumming under his fingers.

It's all he really hears.


End file.
